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President Barack Obama took the time ahead of Teacher Appreciation Week in the US to tell the world about his favourite teacher, Mabel Hefty. She “made every single student in that class feel special,” he said.

Mr Obama also called on others to reveal which teacher had helped to shape their lives and education by using the hashtag #ThankATeacher - and people rushed to share their stories.

“Thank you, Mrs Moore, my Year 4 teacher, for being so enthusiastic and instilling in me a lifelong love of learning,” said @GraceOfSuburbia.

@Abi_Richardson, meanwhile, showed her appreciation of the person who’d motivated her own career. “Thank you to my Year 5 teacher, Mr Shield, who inspired me to become a teacher myself,” she wrote.

@MissClareWinder paid tribute to her teacher John Garlington, the “best teacher ever (All Hallows class of 1988) and a mighty Scrabble opponent!”

For @ssancho_mc there were far too many great teachers to choose from: “Impossible to think of one alone. Continue to learn and be inspired by teachers day in, day out, past and present - thank you.”

See more #ThankATeacher posts at TES’ Storify timeline (bit.lyTESStorify) and Pinterest board (bit.lyTESPinterest).

Sarah Cunnane

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