What would your old teachers say if they could see you now?

I think they would be very surprised. For one labelled as unteachable at infants school, ESN at primary school, considered stupid at secondary modern (yep, I failed the 11+!), I felt in my 30s that I had something to prove to myself, so gathered my qualifications and ended up with a 1st class hons degree. Still suffer with a lack of confidence though! Scarred for life? Only joking. I agree totally with LullyDully.

Mine would say 'welcome to the real world' I was a bit of a dreamer at school.

I think they may be surprised I did quite well despite all their criticism. There should be a board in the old school for all the late bloomers who got degrees despite them in our 30 s. Even in a grammar school there were also rans. They had little idea of the concept of encouragement strangely so important in modern education.

My maths teacher would just shake his head , and say to my Mum , your daughter just hasn't got Maths ! , especially on seeing me trying to work out kg to make jam ,
Tho after doing catering [ with lbs and ozs ] at college early 60's , one job I took was in an accounts dept . Fingers were used , but I always got it right.

My favourite teacher at primary school once said to my parents that the worst thing to do to me was to leave me in a room on my own as I was such a chatty and sociable young girl. I loved this teacher. She left when we did, to adopt her first son. Me and my first boyfriend used to travel to see her (and the baby) and even when I had my children I still used to call on her. I live now near where she did then but I don't think she is there now. She had such an influence on my life, a real treasure of a teacher and a person.

The other teacher I got on well with was my Maths teacher in secondary. I too, went to Grammar School but didn't feel like I fit in. My Maths teacher was lovely though and I saw him a few years after I left in a pub. He was with friends and I was going to go and say hi to him but didn't. I since found out that he had died. I deeply regret just saying hello to him that day. He was lovely, encouraging and the only one who seemed to take notice of me at Secondary School.

That's probably not true to be honest as my sister was born while I was in 5th year and I have photos of her in my classroom being held as a young baby by my classmates, so I must have had some popularity. I just think we feel things different as a youngster to what it was probably like.

They wouldnt recognise me, I was very quiet and unasuming in School, but hey did things change when I started in Nursing School, and ended up being called "the incredible talking Sister" they would probably be horrified.

Oh I was, spent quite a bit of time outside and f the classroom in the corridor

I think my history teacher (Miss Ellery RIP) would be pleased that I eventually got my history degree, albeit 14 years and 2 kids after leaving school. (thanks OU). A combination of mediocre A levels and a long term boyfriend meant I decided to get a job rather than go to uni (or poly as it was then), I was lucky in that I managed to get a Commercial Apprenticeship at BAe so I have an HNC in Business Studies and Finance as well as my BA in History. . The long term boyfriend is now my ex-husband

On another note, I passed French 'O' Level to spite my French teacher who really didn't like me (the feeling was mutual!)

I was a darn nuisance as a schoolgirl, bored by the awful teaching methods of the 1950's, calling out comments from the back of the class, being frequently thrown out of the class for talking and generally messing about. I had to leave school at 16 to get a job, as mine was a single parent family. My teachers would be amazed: I was a mature student, got a degree and two postgrad qualifications an ended up teaching in further education for 20 odd years. I had particular sympathy for students who were nuisancy, as I was. But Mrs Hayes, English teacher at Fylde Lodge High School for Girls, if you are still alive - my love of English is all down to you.

My DS teacher was brilliant & I saw her lots after I left school as she was a farmer's wife & my 2nd H was a Cattle Dealer, our other DS teacher also brilliant was Susan Brooks who appeared on tv regularly, still love cooking

Inspirational English teacher who would be so pleased that I love reading & a wide variety of genres, also introduced me to WW1 Poets. Might not always approve of everything I read He also had a great sense of humour & was a Monty Python fan - guess what we discussed in English lessons

Lovely Maths teacher (sad death half way through my GCE O Level years) who made his lessons a joy

Mad History teacher (frustrated Archeologist) did leave me with a love of anything to do with History particularly local (love to know about where I live & how it has been shaped over the years)

Would they be disappointed - no I don't think so. Despite passing 11+ my Primary Head Teacher (he taught me for final 2 years at Primary) recommended that I go to our local Comprehensive (very good school) which was co-ed where he felt I would do better - he was right, I wasn't cut out for Grammer School, left school with 3 GCEs but later returned to College & gained HND in Business Studies & a Teaching Certificate

So many people have done so well, often against all odds too. I am in awe of you all.

"She's still quiet" - my mum never knew whether being quiet was good or bad!!

Good for allsortsofbags. I was never encouraged at school loved maths and was very good at all sports but we were poor so a lot of my teachers only bothered with pupils who had things at home eg sewing machines and those what could always afford all ingredients to cook something we would not eat . I have done ok a long career in nursing and actually nursed one of my teachers when she was dying which was surreal don't think any of them would recognise me

Having been in a bad secondary modern and leaving with 'nowt' as they say, I think they would be amazed I have a BA , a BA (Hons), one masters degree and one BSc Three paid for by myself, one vocational one paid via the NHS and all attained whilst doing a three shift system The last one paid for by myself again but done in leisurely retirement.

I don't think they would believe it.

Miss Mines, my Domestic Science teacher, who recommnended me for the Middle School Cookery Prize, would be delighted to know how much I remember of what she taught me and how much I enjoy cooking. At one stage I wanted to be a cookery demonstrator but discovered during my "O" Level Practical exam that I hate being watched while I'm cooking!

My English teacher, Miss McKechnie, would also be happy to know that I've never lost my love for reading.

If only my teachers had recognised that I am a dyslexic, I might not have struggled so much, despite them I did pretty well

I think they would count themselves lucky that dealing with me didn't kill them off. I made a very early start on being eccentric........

I liked my maths teacher Hildagard I just didn't like his subject

It was great how your old teacher recongnised you from your laugh. Which suggests that you might have been a bit of a giggler?

They'd probably say "Who's that?"

Mine too, Eleothan. I was a master at keeping my head down in lessons!

What would my teachers say now? Probably what a cheek, who gave me permission to do OK and even better than I should have lol. I still hear this sort of Toxicity from most of my birth family. I was "thick", not even good enough for factory work. In my late 20's then someone suggested I might be dyslexic, turns out I am. I wasn't going to be defined by other people's opinions. So I got myself a BA(Hons) in Law and MSc (with a fancy title) and have other letters after my name that I struggle to get in the right order. I have met some amazing people, been to some amazing places and have retired nicely set. My most outstanding achievements have been, with DH, raising two fine, successful women who value themselves and other. But what makes me really proud are the number of people throughout my journey I have been able to help ditch Toxic Messages and low expectations placed on them by others. :-)

Hi, I was in a local pub a few years ago and this elderly man kept looking at me? Eventually he came and asked me if we knew each other, after the usual, where do you come from etc turns out that he was my old Maths teacher! He said he had recognised my laugh? When I told him I was in accountancy it was then his turn to laugh, but you can't add up!! My reply was I don't need to?

I agree that "life does make us what we are now" annsixty

For some it is as a result of positive experiences, encouragement, luck and sometimes just a sheer determination to prove "them" wrong.

Sadly of course there is the flip side.

Thank you Rosina life makes us what we are now.We were callow and unfinished when we were young.

They'd probably say "Who's that?"

I'm finding this quite a sad thread in some ways. It set me thinking about where most of the encouragement in my life came from. First and foremost it came from my parents. Surely that is normal?

I did have some very good teachers, and a few fairly indifferent ones (even teachers are human so one should expect a range), but self worth I learned at home, probably before I ever went to school and it continued all through my growing up years. Surely other people had parents like that? Which should make teachers and teachers' attitudes less important than this thread seems to suggest was often the case.