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

Posted in Narrative on May 12, 2023

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✍️ 46 stories

“MEMORIES OF A YOUNG READER” by Julia Corliss

Submitted to Contest #198

I am one of the fortunate ones. I had a mother who read to me. As the poet Strickland Gillian says at the end of The Reading Mother: “You may have tangible wealth untold; Caskets of jewels and coffers of gold. Richer than I you can never be— I had a Mother who read to me.” My mother read to me before and after I could read to myself. I started reading to myself, as well as out loud to Mother and other family members, between the ages of three and four. By the time I turned five, I was reading “chapter books,” like the Bobbsey Twins....

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“Writing His Own Happy Ending” by Bob Faszczewski

Submitted to Contest #198

Tom Potenski felt his future closing in on him like the gates of a medieval castle slamming shut on invading armies. He faced the uncertainty of very limited prospects without a clue or a plan. He had managed to claw his way to decent grades at St. Anselm’s High School, particularly in English and history, but the idea of standing in front of a classroom trying to jam some knowledge into the brains of ungrateful, pimply-faced teenagers...

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“Opportunity Doesn't Knock” by Robert Moore

Submitted to Contest #198

Chris felt himself snatched into the air by his legs, and his head cracked against the wood floor, leaving him in a daze. He barely noticed lights coming on, or the door on the other side of the room open. A figure with long white hair, a flowing white beard, and wearing a deep purple velvet robe entered. “What have you caught, Albegerion?” Chris regained his senses, but all he could see was the heavy oak desk he’d been investigating when something snatched him up. He tried to maneuver to see who held him up, but stil...

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“Tree in a matchbox” by Anna Frederiksen-Washington

Submitted to Contest #198

Tree in a matchboxA private school in Australia in the sixties entitled a child to a one-on-one learning basis. That is how Simon’s education started. His parents worked hard to pay for his fees. A blue cap with a matching blazer, embroidered with the emblem of St. Michaels became his first uniform. A small boy in a world where everything had its place and the world outside appeared strange and confusing. A cloak room that smelled of brand-new leather satchels and banana sandwiches.It was during this time he began to explore the books in the...

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“BLOOM WHERE YOU ARE PLANTED” by Debbie Curtin

Submitted to Contest #198

It was the final art project of the semester and our senior year. Graduation, hopefully, would happen with a positive finale for me. What we were challenged to do was to pick our choice of a unique project to sum up every nuance of what we learned and blend it all together. This would consolidate and put into perspective everything we took in over the past two years. This two year college was the way I chose to follow my art. Short and sweet. How it would play out in the long run was an open road. Who knew where it would lead? The variety of...

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“Beautiful” by Lillia Ankeny

Submitted to Contest #198

Aussie was a freak. Aussie was a retard. Aussie had no parents. Aussie had no social skills. Aussie was not cool. Aussie was not normal. Why did Aussie even go to their school? Wasn’t there a special school for people like that? Ms. Lee knew about all these things that had been said about her student, as well as many more. Numbering among those who said such things were teachers and parents. Folding her hands in her lap Ms. Lee kept her voice gentle. “Do you know why I asked you to stay?” Across her desk the little face shook...

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“13” by Katie Nick

Submitted to Contest #198

She once told me I was going to be the better version of her - right at the end, when I thought the end was just the beginning - but I’ve long since stopped believing it was true. Maybe it could have been, had she been around long enough to tell me what that meant, or how to do it, or what I had ever done to make her believe such a thing. How had I duped her into thinking I could really even function in the world, much less surpass her? My own mother, corporate break-out star, near-gourmet chef, professional hostess, whip-smart and sexy woma...

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“It Only Takes One Interested Person” by Valerie Preston

Submitted to Contest #198

I hated school. In fact, I hated everything. I felt as if I had never fitted in anywhere. I just don’t think I was born with the enthusiasm or interest genes! ‘You’re just different’ My mother told me during one of my ‘woe is me; I’m good at nothing’ times. ‘Different, who wants to be different” I thought after she told me that. I didn’t really know what she meant by it and I wasn’t going to ask her to explain - her explanations or stories were so long winded that I usually fell asleep standing up! The truth was that I knew I didn’t really t...

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“The Muddy Creek” by Nancy Hibbert

Submitted to Contest #198

Attempted Assault and Murder by Witchcraft. The reason King Alizner appointed me as a top advisor was because I discovered powers hidden in old Ruby Malone.Before Bertram drowned, I used to enjoy walking early mornings through the king’s fields. I liked listening to birds calling in the quiet. The air was so much fresher out of the palace, especially as the rising sun glistened across dewy fields of clover. Merchants would be hauling full mule carts to market, and Bertram would be stumbling home drunk and harassing someone.He was a scrawny ...

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“Bouncin’ Benny and the Bonehead” by Michael Jefferson

Submitted to Contest #198

Bouncin’ Benny, the kingdom’s testy enchanted crow, caws, laughing. His mocking laughter echoes throughout Baldor the magician’s extravagant living quarters. “So, this is the kid you think can turn back the rebel army?” Chip, Baldor the magician’s seventeen-year-old apprentice, smiles meekly, his reed-thin body, freckles, and crippling shyness making him appear even younger. “Yes, he’s the one,” Baldor insists. The stocky, good-natured seventy-two-year-old Baldor has served King Ruppert Vontobel since the 1980s, and his father, Moonjack,...

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“Mr. Gray” by Nancy Mcatavey

Submitted to Contest #198

Mr. Gray August is the longest month of the year when you are twelve years old. The longest thirty-one days when you are waiting for the summer to end and your best friend to com...

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“A Regrettable Mistake” by My Trip Around The World

Submitted to Contest #198

A Regrettable Mistake by Anthony Mendoza Grayson leaned against the trunk of his car, fighting the urge to pace back and forth. He pulled the final drag off his cigarette before flicking it amongst its dead brethren scattered across the asphalt. Cynthia was over an hour late and he hadn’t heard from her since they had finished working 3 hours ago. She didn’t answer any of his calls or respond to his texts. He grabbed his phone from his pocket and texted her “are you ok? please answer!” for the 3rd time. He slipped his phon...

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“Figaro” by Kathy Philpott

Submitted to Contest #198

Figaro He sat high atop a large puppet tree in the toy store. It was love at first sight. My daughter and I asked the salesperson to retrieve him for us. He was just as charming close-up as he appeared on the puppet tree. He was adorable with his furry green dragon body and lime green Mohawk hair. We drove back to our apartment with our new puppet in hand. We listened to the Three Tenors on the CD player as we went home. With her small hand adjusting inside the puppet, my daughter made him come to life and pretended to sing with th...

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“LIVING IN THE SHADOWS” by Glenna Agnew

Submitted to Contest #198

Seth hunkered down behind a large leafy bush. He could smell a strong urine scent of an animal that had recently relieved himself close by, but his need for safety far outweighed his need for the luxury of a rose-scented bush. He could hear them coming. They were not trying to hide themselves or camouflage their numbers, why would they? They obviously had the upper hand, he was but one, they were many. Or at least there seemed to be many. They were big boys, strong boys…mean boys. Last week they had slammed him into a locker at the end of ...

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“Baby Steps” by Shaun Levi

Submitted to Contest #198

Eugene cradled his baby girl and stared at the black and white TV screen. The 1969 moon landing was one of many firsts that year. “You see Mr. Armstrong, Sweetie? He’s like our ambassador to space, taking the first steps for us all.” Eugene kissed the baby. “You’ll be walking soon, stepping into your future.” She reached out and gripped his pinky. “Who knows? Maybe you and I will walk hand in hand on the moon one day. Dream big. Every step of the way.” Eugene was the first in his family to graduate college. He was going to research crop ...

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

Submissions are closed

✍️ 46 stories

“MEMORIES OF A YOUNG READER” by Julia Corliss

“Writing His Own Happy Ending” by Bob Faszczewski

“Opportunity Doesn't Knock” by Robert Moore

“Tree in a matchbox” by Anna Frederiksen-Washington

“BLOOM WHERE YOU ARE PLANTED” by Debbie Curtin

“Beautiful” by Lillia Ankeny

“13” by Katie Nick

“It Only Takes One Interested Person” by Valerie Preston

“The Muddy Creek” by Nancy Hibbert

“Bouncin’ Benny and the Bonehead” by Michael Jefferson

“Mr. Gray” by Nancy Mcatavey

“A Regrettable Mistake” by My Trip Around The World

“Figaro” by Kathy Philpott

“LIVING IN THE SHADOWS” by Glenna Agnew

“Baby Steps” by Shaun Levi

🌟 Similar prompts

Write a story about an unconventional teacher.

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

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

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

Contest #198

Enter our weekly contest!

$250

Prize money

182

Contest entries

105

Stories

Win $250 in our short story competition 🏆

Explore more writing prompt ideas: