Islanders remember their favourite teachers — without realizing the teachers are listening in
'When you've got one of those special teachers, they can really open up the world to you'
Annie MacEachern from Charlottetown jumped at the chance to tell us about her favourite teacher — after all, her mother was, and still is, a teacher.
"They have such a tireless, sometimes thankless job," said MacEachern, who's now in public relations. "All the hours they put in at home. Early in the mornings, going in, staying late after school."
MacEachern's choice for favourite teacher goes back to Grade 5 at Spring Park Elementary in Charlottetown.
"When you've got one of those special teachers, they can really open up the world to you."
CBC P.E.I. asked former students, including MacEachern, to tell us about the teachers that made a lasting impression on them. What the students didn't know is that the teachers were watching the interview from another room.
Maureen Diamond 'knew right away the power of my voice'
MacEachern said her former English teacher Maureen Diamond had a knack of pinpointing what a student would do in life before the student even realized it.
"Maureen kind of knew right away the power of my voice and was telling my mom that I should do public relations and that was not even like a thing, really," said MacEachern.
"My mom was like, 'No, she's going to be a teacher.' I knew that wasn't for me growing up with a teacher for a mother. But before I even knew what sharing my voice was, Mrs. Diamond knew it, and she knew that's what I was going to do."
After MacEachern's initial surprise at being re-united with her favourite teacher, she had some kind words for Maureen Diamond.
"You really catapulted me into the English language in a way that, I don't know if the world was ready for, but I just loved reading thanks to Miss Diamond, so thank you."
"I remember Annie especially becoming a very avid reader that year," said Diamond. "It was a fond memory for me and I'm so thrilled she remembers it the same way I do."
Shelley Hennessey: 'Beyond inspiring and really, really passionate'
Jamie Crawford, who now manages a bar, says while at Charlottetown Rural High his main goal was just to get by.
"For me it was all about the least amount of hassle that I could get, so what I had learned — by like middle school, was if you get honours, everybody leaves you alone," said Crawford.
And then along came his grade 10 Math and Grade 11 English teacher, Shelley Hennessey.
"The thing was that when I met Shelley Hennessey, I was already totally really disenfranchised with school altogether," said Crawford.
"She was just beyond inspiring and really, really passionate."
"Now don't get me wrong. I didn't study for any of her classes either, but it was just when I walked away from the class, I knew everything, because I couldn't stop listening to her when she talked."
Crawford had not seen Hennessey since he left high school a dozen years ago.
"There were a few times when I thought I'd try to look her up on Facebook just to send her a note and tell her how awesome she was but I think teachers are pretty good at keeping off the Facebook."
After the two were re-united in our studio, Hennessey held back tears as she was asked about what it meant to her to know she had such a big influence on Crawford.
"I wish I had a good clear answer to that," she replied. "I can't describe what this means, to know you're thought of again."
"This was really nice," said Crawford. "I've never been able to say thank you, to you, ever."
Craig Allin: 'You have to chill down and man up'
Jenny Wooldridge, who now works for an event management company, says her favourite teacher was Craig Allin, her Grade 12 English teacher at Grace Christian School in Charlottetown..
"He was always telling me, 'You have to chill down and man up,' and I still use that to this day when I'm having a really stressful day and I'll be like, 'Alright, Jenny you gotta chill down and man up,'" she said.
After the two were re-united in the studio, Allin said he was pleased he had inspired Wooldridge's writing.
"To hear her come back and say, 'These are the things that I'm actually using," said Allin. "We're achieving what we're trying to do."
Before saying goodbye to her favourite teacher, Wooldridge couldn't resist a friendly parting shot.
"He just rambles on the same as he did in high school."
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