In my 19 years in the public education system, I must have had 20+ teachers, some I barely remember and some whom I credit for the person I have become today.
In elementary school we had one teacher for all subjects for the whole 5 years. She was an old style teacher but she gave us a solid foundation. She retired after our cohort and was often criticized by parents for her old fashioned values - they complained she gave too many homework and their children needed to attend soccer practice in the afternoon! She is still alive and was a spinster until after she retired. She found a husband, a widower, and moved to another city. However, he became ill and eventually died. His family accused my teacher of being an opportunist (apparently, he was quite wealthy - but herself she lead a very modest life and had no vices, so I am sure she wasn't after his money) and she decided to renounce to her inheritance. She burned bridges with her acquired family and came back to live in her family apartment in our town, amidst a storm of gossip. She is still alive!
I loved my high school philosophy teacher - she was so knowledgeable and well spoken.
Our teacher of Italian and Latin literature was also quite peculiar, always wore a tie and looked like a true intellectual, lost in his thoughts. He had a witty sense of humor but could also be strict and pragmatical.
The teacher that influenced my life the most was my math and physic teacher. I choose to enroll in the engineering course at the university because of her. She piqued my interest with her explanations of physics and I thought I had found my call. Why didn't I study physics, then? I wasn't sure what opportunities I would have had with a degree in physics, so I went for engineering, which I considered 'applied physics'. She had skin cancer and went on a sick leave before we could graduate from high school. I wanted to meet her to thank her for helping me decide my future educational step, but she died when I was a freshman. I still think about her quite often and I have fond memory of her classes.
Who was your favorite teacher? And who influenced you the most?