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CONTEST ENDED – Thank you for submitting your stories!

#198: Teacher’s Pet

Whether it was the one who taught you a valuable skill, encouraged you to strive for better, or simply put a band-aid on your grazed knee, there must be at least one teacher you’ll always remember. They’re a constant presence in our childhoods, and, when you’re only small, teachers can seem like larger-than-life characters; the source of all knowledge. It’s little wonder that they feature so often in our stories and our imaginations.


Teaching is a difficult and complicated calling. As in any profession, alongside the above-and-beyonders are also those who should never have become teachers, or who have become jaded. Perhaps your own experiences with a teacher of this kind, one who failed to believe in their students when they needed them the most, clipped your wings, or drove you to work even harder in life. Either way, let's use this week to draw from these formative experiences and write about the people who taught us things, or ought to have.



This week's prompts

Write a story about an unconventional teacher.

High School – 57 stories

Start your story with somebody getting called to the principal’s office.

Middle School – 40 stories

Write about a school trip that takes a turn for the unexpected.

Kids – 15 stories

Write a short story about a teacher or mentor figure who recognizes hidden (or magical!) potential in someone and helps them cultivate it.

Narrative – 46 stories

Write a story that contains the phrase “Okay class! Pop quiz.”

Teens – 24 stories

Stories

“The Unfading Wit of Mrs Ling” by Ian James

Submitted to Contest #198

“Okay, class! Pop quiz!" bellowed Mrs Ling, sending Form 4H into a fit of pure joy. What followed was a solid hour of science-related questions that made everyone’s head spin. The students, in a stroke of autonomy, split themselves into four groups, each vying to answer the most questions correctly and earn the coveted title of victor.Now, the curious thing wasn't that the pop quiz itself was a barrel of laughs. No, it was Mrs Ling herself who had everyone in stitches. She was a woman in her mid-40s, sporting spectacles as thick as a brick w...

2 comments 2
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“"Normal"” by Kimberly Karcz

Submitted to Contest #198

“Normal,” what a word. Most of us strive for it. We compare ourselves to others who seem more of it. We change the definition based on the times. In most people’s eyes, my son will never be normal. In fact, there’s never been a time in history where he fits the definition. If he wins an award, it was just to be nice and not related to his merit. If he makes an educated statement, he must have heard it from someone else. My son, my world, has Down’s Syndrome. Brett has always been obsessed with schoo...

5 comments 5
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“SHE TAUGHT US HOW TO READ” by Roger Skrypczak

Submitted to Contest #198

SHE TAUGHT US HOW TO READ      She only stood about five feet two inches tall, about the same size as the majority of her fifth and sixth grade students.  Well beyond retirement age and matronly, she loved teaching and watching her charges begin to understand what it meant to be able to read. She worked particularly hard in my case since I really struggled the first four years of school. She taught me the sounds of letters and the sounds they made when put together in words. Then helped me understand the ...

2 comments 2
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“Mother of our Lord, Eternal God” by Jackulit Mendoza

Submitted to Contest #198

The humble Virgin is important to our salvation, although many events happen in her life that are being passed or unnoticed in the Sacred Scripture. For example, Mother Mary seems to be the foreground in the bible, (The Annunciation, the birth of our Lord, the Wedding Feast at Cana). There are many elements/events that are briefly mentioned or not specifically addressed in the Bible, yet she is still worthy of our devotion because of the instances that are not specifically viewed in the bible like these ones. The Eternal Son, Father Christ f...

1 comment 1
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“Something New” by John Werner

Submitted to Contest #198

Something NewI was not enthusiastic about the day I had ahead of me. It had been six months since I had officially retired from teaching and in that time I had grown accustomed to not doing very much of anything. I was retired, after all. And, retirement was a time when all you had was time and no pressing matters to occupy it. At least not pressing work matters, and I had always found that other concerns were not really all that concerning.Near the end, I had found the whole ordeal exhausting. It was impossible to attend to my daily du...

6 comments 6
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“Mr. Dover, the Bagel Bandit” by Sarah Martyn

Submitted to Contest #198

It is a true shame to see bags of stale bagels thrown out at Franklin’s Bagels and Coffee each afternoon. But it is less of a shame to see at least one bag get rescued covertly by Mr. Dover, my social studies teacher. How do I know he does this? Well, I’ve been one of the recipients of some of those bagels on a semi-regular basis. Mr. Dover is one of those teachers that people want for a teacher. He lets us talk with our friends in class while still keeping us on task, gets us moving, and makes learning engaging. He even dresses up in costum...

5 comments 5
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“Both My Mrs. Parrys” by Johanna Parry

Submitted to Contest #198

Both My Mrs. Parrys   When I was in kindergarten my teacher's name was Mrs. Parry. I loved Mrs. Parry. She would sometimes let me be the wake up fairy after nap time. Only those lying the most still could be woken up by being anointed on the forehead with the star on the end of the fairy’s wake-up wand. She also let us make pottery, although being the creative genius I was, I decided to make a copy of my pet rat, Mr. Spreckels, instead. He was splotched with blue and white, and I even got to put a glossy coat of glaze on hi...

2 comments 2
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“Grady” by Jim Caldwell

Submitted to Contest #198

Grady Prompt: Write a story about an unconventional teacher Landon Harding leaned against his locker after closing it and spinning the combination lock. In the crowded, chaotic hallway of Grand Isle High School, he searched to see if Callie was at hers, depositing her books from the afternoon classes. He motioned as she weaved a path in his direction.           “Hey! Some of us are heading to the State Park beach for an uncrowded volleyball game before the hordes of summer vacationer...

1 comment 1
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“The Kick” by Carly Kelly

Submitted to Contest #198

The rubber toe of her turquoise All Star high tops scooped just under the burgundy rubber and popped the kickball into the air. The kick was a perfect toss back into the pitchers hands.Lenore started to run to the first base anyway, a sight that was uncomfortable on its own. Her growth spurt had started but her weight hadn’t gotten the memo yet, so her scrawny legs seemed too thin to properly carry the rest of her body. A week ago, she and another shorter student had discovered they both weighed the same amount, a mere seventy-five pounds. D...

2 comments 2
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“Itchy thought” by Matias Nilsson

Submitted to Contest #198

"I just don't see the point!" That itchy thought is the first thing that comes to mind this morning. As I change my shirt for the fourth time in the last ten hours, nothing bothers me more than overthinking things without common sense. I even laugh at myself for questioning that. "Common sense," "thinking," the new forms of fool's gold. The era of convenience and automatic efficiency has eroded critical thinking. There is one thing that bothers me more than all these thoughts, and that is taking off the sweaty socks I fell asleep in. But s...

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“Generation X Gets Taught a Lesson” by Roy Schlegel

Submitted to Contest #198

School is where children go to watch old people get angry.…Back in the bodacious era known as the Solid Gold years, our family relocated from New York to South Texas. I was a freshman prepared to win over friends, forge lifelong alliances, and resume my strategic path to early retirement at a high school located much, much closer to the sun.Making new buds would be a cakewalk with my righteous social skills. I was a gregarious lad prepared to execute my flawless, four-point, insertion plan:recruit players for epic game of marbles; ...

2 comments 2
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“The Lesson” by Gail Bellenger

Submitted to Contest #198

The class settled down as Gisella wrote the website URL on the smartboard. As a group, they logged into the site on their computer tablets, then looked up with questioning eyes. Gisella smiled. “I knew that would get your attention. We’re learning about marine biology today.” She walked down the aisles. “Any questions?” The first hand to shoot up was from Patrick. Outspoken Patrick. “Ms. Gisella, is this a prank?” She shook her head. “Why would you say that?” Olivia, with her perfectly styled blonde curls framing her face, spoke up, “Bec...

10 comments 10
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“The unconventional teacher” by David Nutt

Submitted to Contest #198

The unconventional teacher I pushed myself through the door into the classroom. At this time of the morning there was always a scramble through the door as most of us students always timed our entrance at the last minute before being late….punishable. I immediately went to my designated desk at the rear of the class next to my best friend Daniel. He was there gazing out of the large windows that dominated one of the classroom walls. It was a large airy room with a distinctive feeling of allowing a teacher to express himself. “Hi Daniel, wh...

2 comments 2
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“Two Words” by Brian Rohrig

Submitted to Contest #198

The day was shaping up to be a miasma of mediocrity, a mind-numbing morass of sameness that threatened to put me in a coma.  Be on time. Respect yourself and others. Put away your phones. It’s not that the teachers were ogres—they were just the opposite. They had their rules, yes, but mostly they were nice, supportive, there for you. We’re going to have a great year. You have so much potential. My door is always open. I would almost rather hear: Be on time or I’ll slam the door in your face and send your butt home. If I see a phon...

0 comments 0
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“Coarse Instruction” by Sandra Oliverio

Submitted to Contest #198

Months became weeks, as I pondered what to decide about entering college following graduation. My dream of attending art school had basically been squashed by both of my parents and the remaining option was Mom's desire for me to go into nursing. She had always wanted to be a nurse, and now that the opportunity was before me, she could not understand why I would even hesitate. I had been granted a scholarship, so to my parents it seemed a 'no brainer'. Aside from the fact that my heart was not in it.Following breakfast in the busy hospital c...

1 comment 1
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$250

Prize money

182

Contest entries

105

Stories

Ended on 23:59 - May 19, 2023 EST

Won by Zack Powell 🏆

Title: Multiple Choice

Submissions must be between 1,000 - 3,000 words and will be approved and published on Reedsy Prompts within 7 days of the contest closing.

Read the full terms & conditions or check out the FAQ if you have any questions!

Prompts | Big Blue Hand | 2024-11

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