Singaporeans have been sharing heartwarming stories of how their teachers and lecturers made a difference in their lives.
This comes after a Redditor asked fellow users to recall the positive things educators said or did that helped shape who they are today.
The discussion was posted on r/askSingapore on Tuesday (3 Nov), with the Original Poster (OP) sharing a particularly touching experience.
The OP recalled taking part in an inter-school public speaking competition in Secondary 2, where they “somehow managed to make it to the finals”.
However, things did not go as planned, and they struggled with stuttering and freezing up during their speech.
Some students in the audience even booed them and gave them thumbs down, which shattered the OP’s confidence.
Source: Reddit
After the competition, their English teacher, who had also coached them for the event, took them to McDonald’s for a McSpicy burger.
She told the OP: “Amongst all of them in the crowd who booed you, I saw a young boy trying his best. You didn’t win, but you didn’t walk away neither did you give up. For that, I am proud of you.”
The OP said the teacher’s words helped them learn to see the good in people, even when they are going through challenging moments.
Netizens also shared how their educators’ encouragement helped them overcome academic struggles and personal difficulties.
A netizen recalled never passing a Mathematics paper and failing their prelim exams, only for their teacher to reassure them before the actual examination.
Source: Reddit
A Redditor shared how their Primary 4 teacher repeatedly called their home after they started skipping school because of bullying.
Source: Reddit
Another netizen shared how a lecturer helped expedite their financial aid application after noticing they were struggling with their family’s finances.
Source: Reddit
The OP, who wished to be known as N, told MS News they started this post because their former English teacher had recently passed away.
“My classmates and I were remembering the times when she shed light on us, her wisdom and her patience to us despite us being playful back then,” said N, who is in their 30s and works as a counsellor.
N shared that they had added their English teacher on Facebook and kept in touch ever since.
“I remember her posting a photo of her and her student who went for a public speaking competition a year ago,” N said.
Source: AlpakaVideo on Canva for illustration purposes only
N then privately messaged her about their memory, expressing their gratitude and how she made a difference in their life.
“She felt touched and said she ‘lives’ for moments like this when former students come back to share the differences she had instilled in them,” N shared.
N also remarked that students may often perceive their teachers and lecturers as being “uncool”.
However, they mentioned that as the realities of life and adulthood come along, many will gradually appreciate the wisdom and guidance their teachers once imparted.
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