What makes a teacher great?
I have to admit that I benefitted greatly from wonderful teachers who worked hard, were not paid much, but invested plenty in me. Interestingly, I had more fruitful personal teacher interactions when I went to public school versus when I went off to private boarding school. But, that is another story for another time.
A great school teacher I have had. I’ve had the teacher who gets me to read more advanced books. I’ve had the teacher who spoke extensively with my mom as to how to keep growing intellectually. I’ve had the great teacher who changed my life. These individuals took a petsinal interest in my developmental and intellectual growth, as well as an interest in getting me into a more “elite” school system. Overall, they cared.
However, I’m not here to just talk about school teachers. I’m here to talk about the life tea hers (mentors) one encounters outside the formal school system.
I have been greatly blessed to have come across great mentors who saw I had potential, and they wanted to help cultivate it. People who wanted to pay it forward. People who wanted to have intergenerational impact. I wouldn’t have made it as far without such continuous push, discourse, and intellectual prodding. I encourage everyone to be open to those moments and people who enter your lives at random moments. You may not be ready for such pushes, but life doesn’t
Learn from others. Grow through others. Become your own person and help others to also grow.
Categories: Academia, childhood, Leadership, Psychology, society
psychologistmimi 
Teachers can be so many things. I have had similar experiences, thanks for sharing!
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SMiLes Dear Miriam Open
To All PArts of Experience
As Life’s Teacher Every Grain
of Sand That Holds Up
Human Potential Now
For A Whole Beautiful
Beach With Blooming
FLoWeRS in the Forest
Stars Above Stars Below
Seeing the Face of All in All
Parts
Whole
Beginner
Always JusT
STaRTinG to BREaTHE NoW
Newly As Colors Never Seen Before Bloom..:)
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I’ve never been mentored, even in grad school, so I don’t know what it feels like to have someone take an interest in your progress.
I do my best to help others (when you’re disabled, real opportunities are rare and you don’t have the energy to do most of them!). I actually helped another writer here at our retirement community – finally, someone let me point them in the right direction to self-publishing (her husband’s poetry books, which she now does on Amazon MUCH more cheaply than through the vanity publisher and its demands), and it is a good feeling.
I’ve done it myself – after I became chronically ill in 1989, I homeschooled my three children from pre-K to senior in high school, and off to top tier colleges – but it would be lovely to receive some one of these days, especially in getting more readers.
It takes me a lot of effort and time to locate potential reader/reviewers of mainstream literary fiction who are willing to read an SPA, but the reviews have been stellar when I do. One of these days…
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