How to Find and Thank Your Old Teachers

School is an important part of our upbringing that makes a lasting impact on the rest of our lives. Both good and bad experiences make a lasting imprint, and the teachers that shaped our lives are never forgotten. 

Whether school was everything to you or a total bore, it’s likely that there was at least one teacher who made a significant impact on your life. After all, teachers are some of the most underpaid and underappreciated professionals that are worthy of never-ending praise. 

For many of us, there are times when we sit and ponder about old teachers. What are they doing today? Are they still teaching? Do they remember me? These are just a few of the many questions we may ask ourselves when it comes to old teachers. 

If you’ve ever wondered about your old teacher and feel like you’re ready to reach out, there are ways that you can. Keep reading to learn some helpful tips to get in contact with an old teacher who truly made a difference in your life. 

  • Call the school
  • Talk to high school friends
  • Check social media

Talk to the school

Even if it’s been more than a decade, it is quite likely that the teacher is still working at your high school. After all, many teachers don’t retire until they’ve been working for at least 30 years.

If they’re still working at the same school, it will make your life substantially easier. You can send them an email or just call their extension and talk to them. And, of course, if they don’t answer, simply leave a message! It’s very well likely that they’ll be delighted to hear from you!

A simple directory search on your school’s website makes this step super easy. All you need to do is search up your school’s website online and access their online faculty directory. Do an internet search for your school, and they’ll likely have contact information on their website. So, you can call and ask if a teacher still works there.

Even if this option hits a dead end, you still have plenty of other options, so don’t get discouraged.

how to find your old teachers

Ask your high school friends

Perhaps the same teacher who had a significant impact on you also impacted some of your friends as well. If you still keep in contact with any of your friends from high school, try asking them if they themselves have attempted to reach out. You just might be surprised to find out they have and this will make your attempt much easier!

Some of your friends might have contacted him or her recently or have kept in contact over the years. They may have heard something that could give you a hint as to where to find them. Either way, it’s a great starting point. If your school has an alumni association, this is another good way to contact an old teacher because oftentimes teachers are associated with alumni associations for schools. 

Look around on social media

If your teacher was elderly when you attended school, they might not be on social media now. On the other hand, older people do still use social media frequently. Facebook has over two billion monthly users, many of which are boomers, which means that there’s a good chance that you can find something about your former teacher. Even if they aren’t on a social media site frequently, if you can find a profile or a profile of one of their children or relatives, you can use that information to try to get in touch with them.

Or you can avoid social media altogether. Start with a Google search of your old teacher’s full name and the name of your high school. That might really be able to get you somewhere!

how to find your old teachers online

Use an online people search

If you have a yearbook, you more than likely have your teacher’s full name. Combine that with the city and state your high school was in to get a head start on finding them using a people search. This kind of dedicated online search is an ideal method to find information that can help you get in touch with your old high school teachers.

An online people search can help you get detailed contact information about a person, from email addresses to current phone numbers, which you can use to reach out to them via many different avenues. Or, if you have an old phone number that doesn’t work anymore, try a reverse phone lookup to try and find your teacher’s current contact information.

If you’re hoping to connect with an old teacher, stay positive

If you’ve had a difficult time finding ways to get in contact with your high school teacher, try any of the approaches suggested above to make the process much easier. Go through the school or old friends. Try social media or general online searches. Or look for the person using an online people search to get the most detailed, up-to-date contact information so you can reach out and tell your teacher exactly how much they meant to you.

If your high school teacher made a huge impact on you, it’s important to tell them that in one way or another. After all, there’s something wonderful about hearing that you made an impact on someone, no matter who it is. So, go for it. Make an effort to find your teacher. That way, you can give them the thanks that you might never have given them back when you were a student.

During this season of thanks, or anytime, you may need to try a little harder to find people and show your gratitude. For more information about how to do so, check out the many People Search articles available on the PeopleFinders blog.

Photo credit: Monkey Business Images – www.shutterstock.com

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