MORE Tales Out of School : The Sequel

A number of years ago, I compiled a book about teachers and what people remembered about them. People wrote about things that had happened months, years, decades and in some cases over a half-century ago. The stories described a broad range of human emotion – the shame of having to wear the same dress again and again, the pain of seeing a classmate disgraced as he was forced to eat the crayon he was chewing on, and the absolute joy of being read to. There were memories about classrooms that came to life because of a teacher's humour, punishments that “taught” lifelong lessons and remarks that were quoted years later to children and grandchildren.

It seemed that almost everyone could relate because no matter what our sex, age, or political viewpoint, a teacher has been a common denominator – a benchmark – and a shared collective experience for most people within our society. I was reminded of my former psychology professor who, no doubt trying to prepare us for the onslaught of public opinion about teaching and teachers, had warned: “Better get used to it. Everybody thinks that they’re an expert on education and teachers because they've all gone to school or known somebody who did!”

As I have noted and written about many times, teachers and all of us need to realize the impact a teacher can have – for better or for worse – on young minds. Teachers affect our lives more than they realize. Often the way we view the world, each other and ourselves is the direct result and the lasting legacy of a teacher.

For this reason, I am doing a sequel to my original book, Tales Out of School, which is now out of print. This is where you come in! I will be collecting some new stories for my book. If you would like to have your story of a teacher who made a difference (positive or negative) in your life included, please let me know and I will send you guidelines for submission. Thank you, too, for passing on this information to others who might be interested in taking part in the project.