Teachers Change Lives
VOCABULARY
Who was your favourite teacher? Perhaps it was a first grade teacher who taught you to read, instilling a love of books. Or your grandmother who taught you to bake a pie. Or a mentor who coached you on how to survive the rigours of your first job. In his play “Man and Superman”, George Bernard Shaw came down heavily on the teaching profession saying that, “Those who can, do; those who can’t teach.” Is this true?
My most memorable teacher kindled my love of film. Pre-university classes were held in a Victorian terrace house, round the corner from the main school. Studying hard for our final school exams, we were growing stale. “There’s a big coal hole in the basement which we could turn into a cinema”, suggested our English master. “I’ll get the paint and see to a screen and projector.” The cellar was very cold but we didn’t care. We sat in mufflers, coats and gloves, spellbound by great movies. I can still remember scenes from Eisenstein’s “Ivan the Terrible”, a 2-part historical epic with music by Prokofiev. We warmed up afterwards over heated discussions fuelled by cups of frothy coffee at Barino’s, a nearby coffee bar. “Hey folks, next week we’ve got ‘Citizen Kane’, directed by Orson Welles, and then it’s Korda’s ‘The Third Man’.” I had begun my journey as a life-long film freak.
Have you ever loathed a teacher and thus their subject? Aged 11, my first taste of Latin was at the French Lycée, London. In a haze of Brut after-shave and Gauloises cigarettes, Monsieur C. marched into the classroom. Throwing his attaché case down he stated, “Now you take this in: I teach philosophy, not Latin. But as I have to replace my clapped out Citroën 2CV, I’m taking you for Latin this year.” He waved a Latin textbook at us, “Have you lot checked this book out yet? I did, last night. In my view, it’s a load of rubbish.” From then on, it was Latin with little boys’ and girls’ tears. He loved to shout, “You’re so dumb, you couldn’t even sell peanuts at a metro station!” When we complained to our parents, they just laughed. “But darling, Monsieur C. is so charming, so funny. His classes must be a riot!” They were, but not as my Mother meant. I have disliked Latin ever since.
My Viennese Aunt Traudi had me chopping onions, washing lettuce and stirring sauces as soon as I could be trusted with a sharp knife (onions), reach the sink (salad) and relied upon not to let a sauce burn. Once a month, she hosted hungry students from her husband’s university department. I became her willing kitchen slave. Later, my reward was to sip fine dry sherry, sit in on stimulating conversation, dine well and then help with the washing up afterwards! At Keele University, in the wilds of Staffordshire, Aunt Traudi gave me lessons in classical Austrian cooking. She shared recipes and precious tips on how to make food go further. “Remember, students are always hungry and consume huge amounts. I give them goulash and heaps of noodles, with plenty of sauce. That way I need less meat. After that, as they will still be hungry, I dish up bowls of Rice à la Trauttmansdorff. It’s a deliciously rich and very filling pudding.” I owe my love of cookery to Aunt Traudi. Now my husband and our friends enjoy the fruits of her teaching.
Teachers do more than instruct. They change our lives. Most of all, they help us to see our potential in ways which we might never have seen without them. Anyone lucky enough to have experienced a good teacher owes a debt of gratitude.
Three cheers for great teachers! encouragement – Ansporn to instil – beibringen to survive – überleben rigours – Unbill to come down on – hart sein mit to kindle – wecken/entfachen terrace house – Reihenhaus stale – ausgelaugt to suggest – vorschlagen to (not) care – egal sein muffler – Wollschal spellbound – gebannt epic – Epos to fuel – auftanken frothy – schaumig to loathe – verabscheuen haze – Dunst to take in – aufnehmen clapped out – klapprig to check out – anschauen rubbish – Quatsch to complain – sich beschweren riot – hier: Spaß to dislike – Abneigung haben to chop – klein schneiden to stir – rühren to trust – vertrauen to reach – erreichen sink – Spüle to host – bewirten to rely upon – sich verlassen auf reward – Lohn to share – teilen to go further – strecken to dish up – anrichten filling – sättigend to owe – schulden to instruct – unterrichten debt of gratitude – Dankesschuld