Sunday 27 March 2016

Who was your inspirational teacher?



Photo by RGFraser



‘La bhrea samhrain a bhi ann ….’ translation – ‘It was a fine summer’s day …‘

I recall every essay written in Irish started with this phrase in O-level year in a certain Grammar School in the north of Ireland.  It was the summer term of 1975. The phrase was practised, rehearsed and perfected in such a way that it could be rolled off the tongue to sound like a native Irish speaker. We were learning Irish. For many of us, we hoped that O-level examiners would be suitably impressed by our grasp of this beautiful language, a language that provided many challenges with its grammar and delivery.   As students, we wanted examiners to be suitably impressed with our natural flow and rhythmic sounds. Admittedly there were several ‘stock phrases’ learned by heart to impress said examiners!

Mrs S, our lovely Irish teacher was a native Irish speaker.  Her love of all things Irish – language, music, poetry and culture was remarkable and an inspiration to us in her class.  She was a teacher who had a passion for teaching.  She knew how to bring out the best in her students and she loved poetry, in particular the writings of Seamus Heaney.  It wasn’t until later years that I too would learn to appreciate his beautiful writing.

An exceptional teacher has a way with students and Mrs S had a good way with her students – us!  Her lessons were delivered with elegance, beauty and great learning.  She had the ability to relate to us as young adults, not as children, but young people who often needed to be heard and understood. Many of us at fifteen and sixteen years old thought we knew everything about life and learning!   Mrs S was one teacher who ‘got’ where we were coming from, even though there were times when we didn’t!

Through the Irish language lessons, Mrs S introduced us to many wonderful writers and poets.  She shared with us the magic and enjoyment of the rich tapestry of Irish culture. She encouraged us to participate, debate and voice our views.  She invited us to listen to each other, to be heard and work diligently.  She supported her students through exam nerves and meltdowns.


An inspirational teacher like Mrs S stays in hearts and minds for a long time.  I remember her with great fondness as a lady of elegance and eloquence, who loved teaching, poetry and Seamus Heaney.

8 comments:

  1. Interesting. I think we all had a teacher that inspired us. I remember a rather scary teacher,Mrs Gowring I think, teaching us about the food chain. It amazed me that when it came to it we all depend on grass.

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    1. Hi Fiona, sounds like Mrs Gowring had quite an impact too! :-) Fair to say that I met a few like her along the way as well but the lovely Mrs S was one of my favourites.

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  2. My most inspirational teacher was also my next-door neighbour! She taught me in my final year at primary school. She was a heavy smoker and wore thick Kohl eyeliner. In the time it took her to walk from the door of our pre-fab classroom to her desk, she would have assessed the mood we were in and planned her lesson accordingly. One time, we were as wild as the weather and she figured we probably wouldn't settle down to maths, so she talked to us instead about life as a young girl in Coventry during the war, and had us all spellbound. No formal lesson plans (as far as I know), she just relied on her instincts and experience.

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    1. I love how your inspirational teacher was able to flex her lessons to the needs of her pupils, Catherine. I think I would certainly have enjoyed the storytelling too.

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  3. Your Mrs S sounds like an amazing teacher Mary and I'm not surprised she left such an impression on you. Sadly I remember one or two teachers from hell who left a rather different impression on me. Saying that there was my lovely English teacher who not only motivated me to persevere with foreign languages, she inspired me to study English at university. I might not have met my husband or moved to England otherwise :)

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    1. Ahh Ute, sounds like your lovely English teacher knew a thing or two about life as well as learning!

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  4. Thank you for the window into your classroom. I almost felt as if I was there. It also stirred up memories of some of my teachers. For the most part, school was a good experience for me... I liked learning - and I had a photographic memory in those days. :) Not any more. I fit the 'put it in a safe place and cannot find it' tribe!
    Susan

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    1. Hi Susan, pleased you enjoyed looking through the window. Yes, I know that feeling ... 'safe places' ...emm ...think I'm now part of that tribe too.

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