If you're a Gilmore Girls fan, you know that Friday's Entertainment Weekly's cover story dropped a potentially major clue about Rory's post-college future. In a first look photo from the Gilmore Girls revival, Rory is seen at Chilton appearing to have followed in Max Medina's footsteps as a teacher. While it remains to be seen if Rory just stopped by to be a guest lecturer or if teaching is her full-time gig now, one thing is certain: Rory Gilmore would make an amazing teacher.
I am all for Rory chasing her journalism dreams, but if she has settled into a career of academia, it will be a fitting path for the literature lover. Rory has had the soul of a teacher since Gilmore Girls started. Her love of learning, books, and school all pointed toward a future shaping young, ambitious minds like her own. Rory is an attentive, caring person with a big heart and a vast amount of knowledge. Sharing her gifts with students would be a solid path for her to take in life and not an unexpected one, even though she never mentioned a desire to teach.
As they say, actions speak louder than words, and Rory's studious, disciplined actions always pointed to a life of sharing her love of literature with the next generation of students. Here are 11 moments that showed all the ways Rory would be an incredible teacher.
1. The Sock Puppet Show
Remember the sad day when the Independence Inn burned down in Season 3? Rory, who had zero experience with kids, whipped up an impromptu puppet show that left her young audience enthralled. While Rory couldn't understand why the kids adored her so much, it was an early indication that she could engage kids without any advance warning.
2. Getting The Yale Daily News Ready In One Night
When Paris had a total breakdown, Rory had to step up and rally the Yale Daily News staff to get the paper finished in just a few hours. Rory succeeded by offering encouragement, advice, and leading the team to do the best work they possibly could. Her knowledge and people skills translate into her being not just a great editor, but also a terrific teacher who leads by example.
3. Her Graduation Speech
Rory's eloquent graduation speech was as grand as any speech a scholar has ever given. Not only did she name check roughly a dozen authors, she drew a direct line between her real life experiences and the journeys she took when she lost herself in a good novel.
4. When She Actually Did The Assignment In The Pilot
Right from the start, Rory demonstrated a respect for education that is rare. When she was still at Stars Hollow High, Rory was the only person in class who was working on the assignment in the first episode, and she was proud of it. Remember that little smile she gave when her fellow students were disappointed to find her working? That was the smile of someone who genuinely loved to learn.
5. When She Tutored Jess
Jess was not exactly a cooperative student, but in between all of his joking and playing around, Rory did manage to get through to him. He didn't become an A-student, but she made him confront the idea that despite his desire to be seen as a screw up he was incredibly smart.
6. The Moment She Appreciated The Smell Of Books
Rory's deep love of books extended to their smell. The scene where she declares absolutely nothing in the world smells like books was a moment that screamed this is a person who should be teaching others to appreciate literature.
7. When She Sat In On A College Course
Rory was a Junior in high school when sat in on a college course at Harvard and joined in the conversation. She engaged with the professor and the other students in a way that only someone who loves school and sharing that love with others ever would.
8. The Time She Valued Passing Her Finals Over Everything Else
Rory knew that finals were no joke. Can you imagine the tests she could create for students?
9. When She Encouraged Dean To Go To College
The thought of anyone wasting their potential drove Rory bonkers. College may not have been the right path for Dean, but Rory encouraged him to go anyway because she wanted him to succeed. Her encouragement could help so many kids if she is willing to offer it up as a teacher.
10. When All She Wanted Was A Dictionary For Her Birthday
Way back in Season 1 when Christopher asked Rory what she wanted for her birthday, the only thing she asked for was a nice dictionary. Rory's love of words and stories was such a huge part of who she was as a person. Add her inherent leadership skills in, and you have a recipe for the perfect teacher.
11. The Time She Stole A Boat
Hear me out — I know stealing that boat was a huge mistake that sent Rory spiraling. However, it also means, as qualified as Rory is to be a teacher from an educational standpoint, she also has the life experience to back her lessons up. She has made mistakes, taken risks, fallen down, and gotten back up again. Being a teacher means forging connections with students who on occasion need to know the person at the front of the room has real world advice to offer them. Rory can do that.
Rory always had it in her to be an amazing teacher. If she is a teacher in the revival, here's hoping she embraces the role and sees just how valuable the job can be for her and her potential students.
Images: Warner Bros. Television; Giphy (7); oywithpoodlesalready/Tumblr (4)
