Memoir
/ˈmemˌwär/ noun. a record of events written by a person having intimate knowledge of them and based on personal observation. Usually memoirs. an account of one's personal life and experiences; autobiography. the published record of the proceedings of a group or organization, as of a learned society.
Teachers. I can’t think of many people in our society that are more underappreciated and underpaid. We entrust the future of our entire civilization to these amazing people yet, here in America, sometimes they must spend their own meager salary to buy children school supplies. Teachers can make a real difference, and I imagine this is what attracts them to the profession and keeps them going despite all of the many challenges. This prompt for me was special, it allowed me to talk about one of my favorite teachers in all my years of school, Mr. Morgan.
Memoir Monday has grown so much that I won’t be able to comment on everyone’s posts anymore (and get my own work done) but I’ll still be supporting your posts with reblogs, votes, and shares on my other social media accounts (X, Facebook, etc.).
For all of those who’ve regularly participated in Memoir Monday - keep going, you’re making great progress in chronicling your very own life story for future generations to enjoy.
For those who missed the inaugural post explaining what the Memoir Monday initiative is all about you can find it here.
Now for next week’s Memoir Monday prompt:
Write about a favorite teacher.
My answer:
In our lifetimes, if we’re fortunate, we encounter one or two strangers who leave a deep, positive mark on us. I've been lucky enough to meet several such people. One of them was Mr. Morgan, my seventh-grade English teacher.
It was the final stretch of summer before seventh grade, and I was doing my best to savor the last carefree days, though the dread of the new school year was beginning to overshadow the fun. I was about to start my second year at Eastmoor Middle School, and a chill ran through me as I opened the letter with my class assignment. I had been placed in Mr. Morgan’s English class.
Mr. Morgan had a reputation among students as one of the toughest, no-nonsense teachers in the entire Columbus Public School system—a reputation I would soon find to be well-deserved.
As the photo above illustrates, I was a shy, skinny, and awkward twelve-year-old at the time. My grades were excellent—mostly straight As—and while I often found myself daydreaming in other classes, I still struggled with one significant hurdle: self-confidence.
From the very first day, I could tell Mr. Morgan was different from other teachers. Even by the early 1980s, discipline was becoming an issue in Columbus public schools, but Mr. Morgan addressed this directly. In that first class, he said, “I’m not a babysitter. If you’re not here to learn, you’re welcome to leave right now.” And he meant it. He didn’t tolerate any disrespect or nonsense and would send a student to the principal in a heartbeat.
As the year went on, I noticed that Mr. Morgan had a unique gift for identifying what each student needed. He began calling on me more often, which gradually helped me overcome my shyness. Sometimes, he’d even ask me to come up to the blackboard to explain parts of the lesson to the class. Little by little, my confidence grew.
Before long, I was participating in class naturally and regularly. I ended up getting an A in his class, but he made me work for it. I can’t remember a single day when I was bored in his class; in fact, I felt energized and excited to walk through his door each day. At the end of each successive semester, Mr. Morgan would say, “Well, Mr. Walton, you got an A out of me again!” and laugh.
Our relationship developed into as close a friendship as was possible for a student and teacher back then. I started the year terrified of him but finished it saddened that I would no longer be in his class. Over the years, I’ve realized just how much Mr. Morgan’s mentorship helped prepare me for the challenges of adulthood. I will always be grateful to him for instilling in me a confidence I had never felt before and for teaching me that both my physical voice and my writing voice is worth hearing. I don't think my life would have turned out quite the same without Mr. Morgan in it.
Growing weary of the ads and divisiveness on mainstream social media? If so, why not try Hive? Click on this link to sign-up and join our growing global community.
Let’s Keep In Touch
