What Were Your Teachers Like At School ?

[Ming the Merciless]

Chemistry teacher was lovely. When she retired she invited her sixth form A level chemistry students to her house. We were the last A level group she taught, returning at end of year. Had various maths teachers varying from sarcastic to very sarcastic. Physics teacher was ok. English teacher didn’t suffer fools. Wood work teacher was an expect at throwing a board rubber. Metal work teacher was expert at twisting ears. Geography teacher introduced me to orienteering but was a male chauvinistic pig and wore the badge with pride. French teacher was useless with the most interesting thing being his rotating bow tie. Music teacher was quite stern but underneath had a heart of gold. We had some good plays to take part in each year. History teacher made us learn by rote, pretty boring. Religious education was about Christianity only. Technical drawing teacher well not a lot to remember other than I passed my exam. PE teacher was not someone you wanted to mess with. But if you behaved the lessons were actually pretty good.

Primary school they took us youth hosteling which I also enjoyed.

 

[Chris S]

We've had a thread like this but it was just about boarding schools
https://www.cyclechat.net/threads/how-many-of-you-went-to-boarding-school.266478/

Two of my teachers went to prison and another three should have been. Some former pupils are now trying to expose historical abuse at the school but most can't see the point. All the abusers are now dead.

 

[MontyVeda]

In high school...
Teachers... some good, some bad. Some I got on with, some I didn't.

None of them really did anything to tackle the bullying, but in hindsight the only real option was to move schools.

None of them noticed I was dyslexic either... but had they, that may have just been yet another stigma to live with throughout those years.

Ended up spending most of my 5th and final year playing truant.

In junior school...
it was a hoot, just playing and being cheeky. Loved every minute. Even the dinners were good!

 

[postman]

1962-1966,Leeds school,maths teacher Mr Stone,I was second in class,top boy beaten by a girl.He died suddenly.I bombed with the next teacher former forces,nightmare,I finished hating school.Finished up with no certificates.

 

[Grant Fondo]

My astronomy teacher was the best. Imagine Patrick Moore on acid.

 

[steveindenmark]

Our teachers were frightening, but at the same time brilliant. "Killer" Kellet was my maths teacher. He could throw a piece of chalk 50 paces with deadly accuracy. I reminded him of this many years later when I went with him to play golf in Portugal. He said it was good practice for his putting. He is a lovely man and loved by everyone in my home town.

Harry Waller was our horticultural Science teacher. He adored his job and it rubbed off on many of his students. I am always grateful to him because his teachings have given me many years of enjoyment.



I think removing corporal punishment from school was a huge mistake as soon as it was removed, those who wanted to take advantage,did so, to the detriment of those who wanted to learn .

I went back to my school 20 years after leaving to be a teachers assistant. I stayed for 2 months, it was like an out of control zoo. Every classroom should be fitted with CCTV and audio to show parents how their children behave in classes.

 

[Illaveago]

We had a gym teacher who wasn't very much taller than we were in the 2nd year in secondary school but he looked very fit . He had a bit of a short temper and if he caught you messing about in the changing room you were for it ! His favourite weapon was a cricket bat . Any poor victim it was "Touch your toes !" Then he would hit them for six ! The sound of the impact sent shock waves through the class! It was only one hit but brought tears to the eyes of any poor victim .

 

[yello]

Tbh, I have next to no recollection (certainly before secondary school) I can remember some names but as to what they were like.... I draw a blank. I recall my 3rd form maths teacher was funny, but I might be confusing him with Robin Williams!

 

[Mo1959]

All pretty good both in primary and secondary and seemed genuinely interested in helping everyone. Some stricter than others but no nastiness. Sounds like I was lucky compared to some!

 

[PeteXXX]

I was Grammar School 'educated' from 11 - 15 years old. 1963 - 1968. I hated it. Some of the teachers were alright, but some were nasty vicious people.
The use of the cane and gym shoe across the ar5e or hand was quite common, even for relatively minor things. Having your hair pulled by the maths teacher if you forget your homework was quite usual and thoughts of the PE teacher pulling the front of your shorts out to check that you weren't wearing underpants probably tells you where his proclivities lay..

Football was too lower class to be played. It was rugby, cricket or fives only.

The teachers wore capes and mortar boards and Assembly was a ceremony to be laughed at now!! Imagine Hogwarts without girls.

I left there as soon as legally possible at 15¼

There were a few famous folk passed through the hallowed portals, though. Frankie Howerd, Jules Holland and Steve Perigrine Took (Steve Porter) from Tyrannosaurus Rex.

 

[Flick of the Elbow]

1970’s Birmingham infants/juniors and a Solihull comprehensive. I have no good memories at all. The teachers appeared to have no interest in teaching, they were just there because it paid the mortgage. As in many of the accounts elsewhere, ‘maintaining discipline’ was considered a licence for frequent violence at the slightest provocation. Pupils were randomly picked on just because they could. I don’t know of any cases where the teachers were held to account for their violence, nobody cared.

 

[Illaveago]

I still remember the incident at school which I would say was child abuse .
I was in the fifth year at school , my last year . It was during assembly in the morning . We could see a young boy on the stage , Possibly 1st or 2nd year. It looked like the headmaster was going to announce that the boy was going to receive praise for some outstanding work !
Wrong !
Once the normal assembly was over the headmaster walked the boy to the front of the stage and told the story of what had happened the previous evening in front of the whole school . The headmaster went on to say how the boy had returned to one of the temporary classrooms to get his satchel which he had left behind . Finding the building locked he picked up a brick and smashed a window and broke into the classroom . It was even worse ! The headmaster was walking around the area with the school governors at the time and had caught him .
The whole school were laughing at the poor boy who was now in tears . The headmaster then went on to say that the boy was going to get the cane once the assembly was over . I thought that the punishment was far too much ! He had been ridiculed in front of the whole school and was already in tears . I hated that headmaster !

 

[DaveReading]

My first taste of beer was at the home of my French teacher (in the company of several fellow pupils, I hasten to add).

 

[PeteXXX]

Someone being stood on a stage reminded me of an occurrence in my junior school.
I guess it must have been around 1960/62 ish.
An Indian boy joined the school and was stood on the stage and introduced to us with words like "This is 'name' he is just like us but a different colour and we've all got to be his friends because he's from a long way away"

Bearing in mind that this was in London and none of us kids had ever seen anyone of a different colour except maybe in geography books about Africa or India.

 

[Accy cyclist]

Like most experienced, junior school teachers were ok and 'child understanding'. However my experience of comprehensive secondary school teachers was bad. I suppose most bad teachers ended up at comprehensives, so they took it out on the pupils.