Teachers are some of our earliest inspirations. They nurture us and watch us grow, so it was only fitting when Adele herself said the person who inspired her the most when she was younger was her English teacher. During An Audience With Adele, the singer performed songs from her latest album 30 and answered questions from her star-studded audience.
During the show, actress Emma Thompson asked: “When you were younger, was there someone who kind of supported you, inspired you or sort of protected you from all the trials and tribulations of life and inspired you to go on?”
It was at that moment Adele reflected back on her life and revealed she had a teacher at Chestnut Grove named Miss McDonald. Thompson followed up by asking whether she had stayed in touch, to which she responded: “No, she left when I was in year eight. It was just one year, but she got me really into literature. I’ve always been obsessed with English, and obviously, now I write lyrics, but she also did street dance.
“I was too scared to join, but in the canteen, they used to do these dances and stuff like that. But yeah, she just um, she was so bloody cool, so engaging and she really made us care and we knew that she cared about us and stuff like that. She used to have all these gold bracelets on and gold sequins and I don’t know, she was just bloody cool and so relatable and likable that I really looked forward to my English lessons.”
What followed was an emotional reunion, with McDonald herself appearing out of the audience, prompting the Grammy-winning singer to burst into tears.
“Hello, my darling! Oh my god, I’m so proud of you,” said the former teacher while embracing Adele.
“I didn’t know that you were coming!” Adele replied in shock. “Hi, how are you? Oh, you look exactly the same. Are you still teaching?”
McDonald replied: “No no, I’m just looking after my family. Don’t cry, thank you. Thank you for remembering me.”
Adele then told McDonald that she “really did change my life,” adding: “Mum! Mum, can you believe it? She’s over there, she doesn’t want to be filmed. Oh, now I’ve got to get me (sic) whole face redone.”
There wasn’t a dry eye in the house as the two briefly chatted on stage.
“I’ve still got all my books, you know?” Adele told McDonald. “All my books from when you were my teacher.”
The heartfelt moment made me curious to know who else had a teacher that has made a lifelong impact on them, which is why I asked the POPSUGAR Australia and The Latch team if they had any stories they could share.
Lyndsey – Entertainment Editor
“My acting teacher from ATYP (Australian Theatre for Young People), Veronica, was the one who told me to go to film school to learn the whole business of entertainment and filmmaking and I am so grateful to her for giving me that push.”
Jack Revell – News and Culture Editor
“I’m not sure I can single out a specific teacher. I went to a pretty off-beat school where the teachers were very passionate and had lived these incredible lives. One English teacher had taught in Kenya for 20 years and focused on African literature, sharing incredible novels that we would never have read otherwise. Another brought two huge Malamute dogs to school with her and would run in sled races with them at weekends. Our music teacher refused to teach the curriculum and we would regularly have lessons where we lay on the floor listening to psytrance or punk or experimental Japanese acapella. I don’t think I really appreciated how weird it was but looking back I’m so thankful that they always pushed us to never be, or accept, the norm.”
Alana Young – Gaming Producer
“I did PE as an elective in Year 11 and 12 — I wasn’t a sporty kid but I loved learning about bones and muscles, and I think because I was newer to everything than the other kids, I asked a lot of questions. My PE teacher always encouraged that, and one of the best things anyone has ever said to me was when he told me I asked interesting questions. He made me feel confident not knowing things, which helps me out as an adult all the time.”
Natasha Bazika – Lifestyle Producer
“My English teacher in high school was the only person who encouraged me to read and write. He would give me books to read after school. The ones that weren’t on the curriculum. He pushed me to be a better writer and reader and without his encouragement, I wouldn’t be the writer I am today.”
Basmah Qazi – Entertainment Producer
“I’ve had a lot of great teachers over the years, but the one who inspired me most was my Year Five teacher. Till today, every single thing he has taught me is something I use in my day-to-day life, and his lessons are ones that I truly remember. He managed to make even the most mundane topics interesting, and even though he probably doesn’t know it, he really did change my life in the best way. Despite being a child back then, you could tell just how passionate he was when he taught his class, and if I could get in touch with him today I would want to let him know how grateful I am for all of his hard work.”
