Friday, May 26, 2023

COINCIDENCE

        In 1960 I went to teach in a small town 60 miles east of Estevan Sask. There were 12 teachers on staff and I had the gr. eight class. Clara was in that class. When I left 3 years later, Clara was entering gr. 11.

      I lost all contact with my students there and didn't hear anything about Clara until about 2000 when I was looking at a sight that gave all kinds of history for the town. From that I found out that Clara was in Lethbridge , Alberta teaching math in the college there. Okay , that's nice. 

    Well a few years later one of my former students stopped at the house for a visit. Lewis was teaching math at the Lethbridge College. I mentioned my former student from 1960. Lewis had taken over Clara's position!


    So that's quite a leap! My little town east of Estevan is about 450 miles   from Lethbridge. I taught Clara in 1960 and Lewis about 1980. 

    So it was a great coincidence that two of my students took the same job. 

30 comments:

  1. That’s pretty cool. Not only that it happened but that you found out.

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  2. Hello,
    The job must have been a good one! It is nice to learn news about your students. Have a great weekend.

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    1. It was a different math course than many other college math courses.

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  3. Very cool coincidence, I agree. :-)

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    1. And as some commenters have said, "How many other situations are there like this. Well I taught with a few former students. Does that count.

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  4. Coincidence is fascinating Red isn't it.

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    1. It can bring out some big surprises.

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  5. That is a very cool coincidence. I love it!

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  6. A very nice coincidence, Red.

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  7. I love it. And I love that your former students became math teachers!

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    1. ... and I did teach math at one time.

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  8. That is interesting. Testament to your good teaching too, perhaps?

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    1. I did not see my role as an advisor so they did this on their own. I taught at Carnduff, Sask for three years.

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  9. If one lives long enough he will see that coincidences are all around us.

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    1. Yes, we also have to be close enough to remain in contact. This was when I taught at Carnduff , Sask. Didn't you cross the border a time or two to drink beer?

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    2. Oh no, we always found someone to buy it for us. I remember stopping into my favorite bar in Minot on my 21st birthday and when I got my drink I told the female bartender: "Congratulations! You just served me my first legal drink."

      She was not amused.

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  10. Replies
    1. When you don't have contact with most of these kids after you tech them, it is a surprise.

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  11. That is pretty amazing, Red. I enjoy seeing these stories. By the way, I also like your trend to one-word titles: Noise, Smoke, Anniversary, Coincidence … very clever. I don’t know if you can rename a post, but if so, Wednesday, May 24, can be Gambling. Lastly, a quick question: Does Canada have a Memorial Day? We do and it is next Monday. Have a good weekend!

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  12. I'm a completely random chaotic person so any move to one word titles is completely accidental. The third weekend in May is called Canada day. Originally it was to celebrate the monarch's birthday. Nov. 11 is known as remembrance day here. At one time it was called armistice day.

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  13. That is a nice coincidence, isn't it?

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  14. Such a nice coincidence dear Red
    Being a temporary teacher makes me how it feels to encounter old students after many years is pleasing. Hubby has been teaching for 28 years and I see glow in his eyes when he mentions his former student doing good on some good post.what you experienced is more special

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  15. This is so fun! On a happier note than what I mentioned to you before, another student just ended up being my granddaughter's high school English teacher this past school year. Stacey had looked through her student files at the start of the school year and asked KC if she knew me. Surprise! That was a much happier thing to discover.

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