9.26.2007

English Teacher

I might have mentioned this here before, but I was a 7th grade English teacher for five years, plus student teaching. I enjoyed working with my students, but other factors made me decide to give it up. This is all true:

At a Christmas party last year, a mother of one of my students made a beeline towards me. “Do you remember my daughter, C? She’s teaching 7th grade English in Reno now.”

At a concert this winter, sitting next to a contractor from town, he recognizes Brad and we start a conversation.

About half an hour later I say, “I remember your son was quite brilliant, what is P up to?”

He says, “Oh, he’s getting his master’s.”

“Oh, really, what is he studying?”

“English, he will be a teacher.”

Yesterday, Brad met another contractor in town. His oldest son was in my class while I was student teaching. The dad proudly brags that his son is teaching English in Taiwan this year.

I know of another girl, teaching English too, but her mother was an English teacher, so I’m not claiming any responsibility on that one.

Now, what are the chances of that? How many more are out there? I know Truckee is a small town and you tend to run into the same people, but the possibility is slim that out of the approximately 330 students I had in that time frame, the ones I know about are teachers, English teachers.

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

Sign of a dedicated teacher. We need more like you helping to form our kids future. You've earned the right to a bit of self acknowledgement, so do so. Sounds like there is a few students of yours out there who along with other English teachers made a difference in their lives.

Aunt Gwen

Tiffany said...

English teachers have a more profound impact upon their students than I think they realize. I can name every english teacher I had all the way back to elementary school, but you know I don't think I could tell you who my 10th grade world studies teacher was or my 7th grade science teacher.

I have a BA in English and I work in politics. Believe me, that background in english has served me well!

:^)

Vanessa/NessieNoodle said...

Hey Cathy- Thanks for stopping by my new spot.
I am wondering more and more if we don't already know each other... I a TnT Grad and was born up in Truckee... and my mom was an english teacher as well (at Reno HS)...
hmm?? I wonder???

PS your cards look beautiful! can't wait to get mine :)

Anonymous said...

Hi mom, I would also like to mention that I probably meet one person a month that always say's "your mom is mrs. mills, thats awesome!" You certainly made an impact on a lot of students.

jeremy