There are two moments that stand out for me.
I remember being in theater class and my professor had all the students share their aspirations within the entertainment industry.
At the time, I was sure I wanted to be a comedian. So when I shared that info, the professor flat out said, "I just don't see that for you."
His bitter prognostication was actually accurate. I never did land a stand-up gig at the Comedy Store or the Punch Line; but I did go on to have a steady career in theater.
Another time, my gym teacher at my Japanese school intimidatingly asked 13-year-old me if I was a "homo." I guess my fierce warmup exercises to imaginary music raised a red flag, prompting her to make sure I "butch" up my perceivably flamboyant moves.
I remember being absolutely mortified at her audacity, and I may have clutched my invisible pearls in shock.
Looking back – boy, did she nail that assumption.
Curious to hear the experience of strangers online, Redditor xtra_why asked:
"What did that one teacher do to you that you'll never forget?"
Bless Mrs. Jones
"3rd grade-Mrs Jones. My dad had just deserted us and we were suddenly destitute. She bought my school pictures for us and paid my lunch bill all year. She never said a word about it. Only found out later. Bless her"
– Ljmeeds1
The Stupid Lesson
"I called somebody stupid once when they got a question wrong and the teacher instantly made me stand up and spell 'stupid' backwards. Got it wrong with the pressure and learnt a lesson that day."
– plathree
Remembered Six Years Later
"The professor I had for my calculus 100 class in university was awesome. He was a good teacher and funny and engaging. If it was a first year class with over 100 people in it. I was just a face in a big crowd. I was on campus after hours a couple years after I graduated (they run programs for kids in the evenings and was dropping off my oldest) and I saw him. He stopped, looked at me hard, and said '<first name> <last name>. Not a bad student. Not great. But definitely not bad.' And kept walking. This was a good 6 years after I graduated. Absolutely amazed he would have remembered me at all after teaching how many hundreds of students in between. That is just crazy."
Toys For Punishment
"I can't remember what I did but in first grade my teacher got mad at me and said 'you wanna act like a baby? Fine come over here.' She made me sit in a corner on the floor and gave me two little toys to play with."
See You Goodbye GIF by ROLLYTOYSGiphyThat Thing You Do
"Had 10 minutes to spare before lunch bell and he told us all to 'go jerk off or whatever it is you do.' I don't know what he wanted to say and he apologized to us, but it was funny as hell."
"Teacher Persona"
"Sometimes you forget to use your teacher persona. I once had a student tell me that she would be working on Christmas Day (at McDonald's). She was excited to get the holiday pay rate."
"I forgot myself for a second and told her, 'Make that money, girl. Don't let it make you.'"
"In case you're wondering, that's essentially the tag for the movie 'The Player's Club,' a rated R film from the 90s that every Black child (including myself) has seen, but had no business watching."
The Extra Mile
"She took every phone call no matter the time of night while I was in rehab. If it wasn't for her being there in my lowest time, I probably would not be here today."
Intuitive Teacher
"in my senior year, my english teacher asked me if i was manic depressive after turning in a personal essay, only for me to get diagnosed with bipolar disorder a week later."
Lingering Words
"Told me I was smart and could succeed. I had spent the past couple years at a private school, trying so hard to prove myself. Despite doing well academically, I didn't fit their cookie cutter mold, so I was looked down on by other students and administration. When I told the guidance counselor that I wanted to be premed and go to medical school after college, she pretty much told to lower my expectations because I wouldn't succeed. At the end of my college math class my senior year of high school, I ended up in my professors office to look at what I had missed on my final. He told me that I had done well, and that I could my PhD in math if I wanted. That was not what I wanted to do, but when I told him I wanted to be premed, he looked at me and said you're going to well in that. I know you will succeed. 6 years later and I'm halfway through my second year of medical school, and his words still ring in my mind."
Cool Art Teacher
"Had a highschool art teacher who would let me stay in his classroom during lunches. Always gave me half his sandwich and other extra food because he knew I didn't eat much otherwise."
The Harsh Truth
"I was anorexic when I was in school. She took me aside after class and told me that if I didn't stop doing what I was doing to myself I was going to die. That my body was going to start shutting down, my organs would fail, that it would not be beautiful and I was going to die an awful and painful death."
– Gar_Eval