I am coming up on my third school year, second full one, as a sub. One of the things I pride myself on is that I develop a rapport with the kids and try to get to know them. They seem to appreciate it, and so do the teachers and.administrators. However, if you add maybe a year since they graduate, three months of summer, or several months since I last had them in class, I will have no idea who they are. I will run into them outside of school and be clueless. I know that I've had them in class but I just can't place them. It's embarrassing for mr since I truly try to remember them. Has this happened to you?
I see former students when I'm out all the time. I have even run into them when I was on vacation before. I just saw one the other day who I had my first year teaching. I don't think I have even seen her since then--12 years ago.) I smiled when I saw her, because I knew she looked familiar, but I didn't remember if I had her in class or not. I overhead her tell someone my name and that I was her high school teacher. When I heard that, I went right over to her and we had a short conversation. To be honest, there are few places that I go that I don't see a current or former student! The students in my AP class today were joking with me about how I have had almost all of their siblings in class, and it's true! There are so many of them out there that it's impossible not to see them!
The opposite. One of my former students (she is in 8th now) came through the car rider line with her grandpa to pick up her younger siblings. The window was down so I said "Hi Susie!" Her response, "Hi. Wait. How do you know my name?"
I've worked in the same school district for 20 years, and I started with high school seniors. I have trouble remembering whether some of them are people who went to school with me when I was a student or if they were students in my class. After all, I was only four years older than they were! Once I switched to middle school it was harder to remember the kids later. They change SO much from middle school to high school and adulthood. I tell them that they have to forgive me since they've changed a lot more than I have in 20 years. I always tell my kids that I know them when they are in my room, but I probably won't know them in the hallway the same day. I'm awful with names.
Haha...A few years ago I was checking out at Barnes and Noble, and the cashier asked if I had a membership card. I said that I had an educator discount card, and she asked to see it. When she saw the name, she said, "Wait, you were my teacher in high school." We both laughed about it because neither of us immediately recognized each other. :lol:
I used to run into kids all the time because it was a school district where I also live, so the grocery store was a common ground. I had a lot of kids walking up to me to say hi. What was interesting is that I was a sub, and 99% of the time I was in a different classroom every day, I wasn't in one place for a week. So the kids only had 50 minutes with me, and even though they have 7 teachers and countless subs, they remembered me months, often even a year later! I don't get embarrassed about not remembering their name, because I don't think it's my fault. Sometimes I asked which class or who the teacher was. They never really expected me to remember them, they just wanted to say hi.
I can remember the names of almost all of my previous students. It might take a few seconds before I remember the name, but I know it is a former student so questions like, "how's life after HS?" work if I need a second or two. It's always fun to see them!
I've been teaching for quite some time, and run into former students everywhere. Three weeks ago, in Epcot, a woman came up to me and said "Excuse me, but by any chance did you use to teach math in **** high school?" I said yes, I still do, and then said " I'm so sorry, you look familiar, but I can't think of your name. Who are you?" She had been in my geometry class in 1987.
I can understand more in high school. You can have up to 8-10 teachers in a year and teachers can have hundreds of students. I teach elementary. She had 1 teacher for an entire year! And it was only 3 years ago!!!
Kids sometimes have a hard time placing people out of context. I bet she would have recognized you instantly had she been visiting school and run into you.
Very good point! One more story: Six or seven years ago I noticed my 2nd grade teacher (now retired) working as a cashier at the grocery store. I was with one of my friends (who I went to school with) as we were checking out. My friend didn't have her as a teacher, but attended the same elementary school and was in the same grade as me. I said hello, and we talked for a minute, but my friend just stood to the side. She then turned to my friend and said, "Your mother was in here yesterday and came through my line." It turned out that she was right--my friend's mother really did go through the teacher's line the previous day! We were both shocked that she was able to make that connection after all of those years! The last time the teacher saw my friend was probably when we were in 2nd grade!
She was at my school I was handing out signs for people to write their child's name on for our car line. She was in the car with the window down. I handed them their sign and said hi!
I love running into former students and families outside of school. It always brings a smile to my face!
I have some trouble with that as well. I go through 200 students a year, and afterwards, while learning all of my new students, if I see old students it takes me a few minutes to bring up their name or where I know them from. I've only been teaching (including student teaching) for a year, and it's already happened.
I usually recognize the kids I run into, but occasionally can't recall their name, especially if it's from when I was a sub and they weren't in the class of one of my regulars. What's funny is when I know who they are, but can't recall when I know them from. Was it the middle school or the high school/ Was I a sub then? A para? Teacher? Tutor? It all starts to blend together ; p Either way, I'm just happy they're smiling when they see me.
I see former students all the time. Since I teach 5th, I often don't recognize them "grown up". They look familiar, but I forget their name! I have no problem asking them their name, and I remind them that they look grown up to me, and different than when they were 11!