A teacher affects eternity, he can never tell where his influence stops - Henry Brooks Adams

We've all had aspirations, desires for success, and ideas for living the lives we've dreamed of. But how did we reach those points, or for some of us, how do we get there? Most say it comes through hard work, determination, and constant learning. But isn't that only made possible through the educators who've helped us achieve every step in the process of reaching those goals?

When you look back on your education, do you begin to remember what made you who you are? Maybe you start recalling the lessons that shaped you, and the world you've come to understand as a result of those lessons. Maybe these thoughts bring you to reflect on the teachers you once had, the teachers who made a difference and left a lasting impression.

On many an occasion, these thoughts have weaved through my mind. They've made me reflect on the teachers I've had in my educational journey, but more importantly, the teachers who made an impact in my life.

Yet, when I think about these teachers, I think about what makes them memorable and if this is something that can be taught. These questions might seem average, queries I should already have answers to. Sure, you can say that a memorable teacher is someone you remember as doing something for you in your life. However, what is that something and when does that something make the teacher memorable?

A couple of months ago, I gave a note to a past teacher of mine, explaining my appreciation for what they did for me, and what they're continuing to do. In doing so, it made me stop and think about those who've changed me in some way, and prompted the question of why? Why are they so memorable to me, why do only a handful of teachers resonate so clearly in my mind? These questions forced me to think about what each of them did for me, and also, what they're continuing to do for me from the sidelines.

All teachers can do exactly what they were taught to do, and that's to teach. But what makes you stop and say, “I understand why they're memorable to me.” How do you choose who those memorable teachers are?

I've made it my quest to find answers to these questions by asking teachers and students what made a memorable teacher, while discovering the answers for my own mind along the way.

Photo Credit: Kim Meijer

Samantha Meijer

Samantha is an avid reader and writer, who finds relaxation in the imaginary worlds she creates. Her non-fiction work has been published for the Canadian Wildlife Federation, and she has won awards for her short fiction in the annual Remembrance Day Legion contest. When she's not writing, Samantha is sketching famous or familial people.

CWF | Royal Canadian Legion