The teacher who changed my life
So I could have talked about so many great teachers, like Mr Rooks our PE and RE teacher, in PE he had a whole class of year 9 boys doing dance because we respected him that much, and in RE he would come in and give us a topic, then for the next hour the whole class would debate about said topic. Unfortunately the RE teachers we had in the following years couldn't handle us, we almost gave one a breakdown. Or then there's Mr Hazard who would talk about his amazing cat who couldn't land on its feet. Apparent he tested this from 5ft above a stone floor before deciding it would be better to test it on his bed. Or Mr Denis the physics teacher who always wore country casuals.

No, this story is not about those teachers. In fact this story is not about a teacher I even liked. This story is about Mrs Foster. Mrs foster was my year 9 physics teacher, we didn't quite see eye to eye. She thought I should go home at night and do homework, i thought I should go home at night and play video games. Once she even threatened to come to my house and talk to my parents about my lack of homework. She never did thankfully and after year 9 I no longer had her as a teacher.

So how did she change my life? Well I made it all the way through to 6th form and was taking my AS levels, and managed to spectacularly fail them, so much so I decided I would repeat year 12. When I was going through year 12 again Mrs Foster had become a form tutor. And upon hearing that I was repeating she requested me to be in her class. Now, I know what you're thinking, she helped me to get to excellent grades, passed a levels and went to UMIST to study physics, went on to get my masters, then a PHD and now I'm one of the top scientist in the world. But no, you'd be wrong. I did go on that year to get good grades in my AS, but that was thanks to Miss Kenningham who stayed back every night after school and allowed me to sit in her classroom revising while she marked homework. Unfortunately Miss Kenningham left after that year and the next year I thought I could study by myself, but I was wrong and never did get to go to UMIST.

Back to Mrs Foster, she changed my life in what would seem a very small way, but like a snowball it grew and grew. Mrs Foster suggested that I should volunteer at the local youth center helping younger kids with homework (I know!) and running a youth club. Well that introduced me to the local youth service, from there I went on a trip to Italy, then to Africa to climb Mt Kilimanjaro (this is one of the reasons I didn't study for my A levels) and I also found out about Camp America. I went on Camp America and after a few times out I fell in love with the most amazing girl ever, and she loved me back. We got married a year later and now I'm living over in the states, I'm currently back in college studying to be a substation electrician.

So sometimes even the teachers you don't really like can be awesome. I was actually thinking of emailing her before this QOTW came out as it has been 10 years since that fateful day she suggested the youth service, and I'm pretty sure she thinks that she failed with me and never turned my life around.
( bobzarkoff, Thu 24 Mar 2011, 1:16, 9 replies)

For the love of God
E-mail her!
(fannymcslap Slap my mcfanny, Thu 24 Mar 2011, 8:32, closed)

you should totally email her.
because that wouldn't be creepy and irrelevant to her life AT ALL.
( janet aylia y'all motherfuckers need jesus, Thu 24 Mar 2011, 8:53, closed)

I'm sorry but you're no Dr Shambolic.

( girlinthehole, Thu 24 Mar 2011, 10:21, closed)

i wasn't aware that i was trying to be.
but thanks for taking the time to make this observation.
( janet aylia y'all motherfuckers need jesus, Thu 24 Mar 2011, 10:26, closed)

You're very welcome.

( girlinthehole, Thu 24 Mar 2011, 10:45, closed)

There can be only one.
[smoldering sean connery stare]
( Dr. Shambolic je suis charlie, Thu 24 Mar 2011, 12:31, closed)

Ignore Janet
Send an email and reinforce the fact that she is doing a mostly thankless and beaurocratic job that changes lives for the better. Set yourself apart from the 'shoulda woulda coulda' brigade
( elgordo, Thu 24 Mar 2011, 9:26, closed)

Definitely get in touch with her. She'd love to hear that I am sure.
( enoughblueskyforsailorstrousers, Thu 24 Mar 2011, 9:42, closed)

Email her.
The worst that can happen is that she has no idea who you are.

Well ... no ... I suppose she could track you down and force you to be her gimp for twenty years before tiring of you and abandoning you in a rat-infested cesspit. But realistically ...
( Dr. Shambolic je suis charlie, Thu 24 Mar 2011, 10:46, closed)