A teacher =
shared with me: September 1st and school was starting in a =
few days. I was starting my 17th year teaching 3rd =
graders, that special year in school I loved as children mastered =
cursive writing, multiplication tables, maps, and music. In the =
next room was a young lady, newly graduated (and newly married), working =
on lesson plans and decorating bulletin boards. We did not have much =
time to chat, but as this was her a first-year teaching, I wanted to =
encourage her.
I told her =
about the ups and downs of teaching children, and that not every day =
would be an “A” day for anyone grading HER as a =
teacher. But each day she should remember that every little child =
had struggles and fears, dreams and goals, strong support or constant =
challenges at home, and that she should love each one unconditionally. =
At least she could make it an “A” day for =
THEM.
She smiled and =
told me, “I want to be like my favorite teacher who used to tell =
me ‘Failure is not an option for =
you.’”
The quizzical =
look on my face was apparent. “That’s a phrase I use with MY =
children in class every year!”
She lowered =
her eyes and said, “Yes. I remember that. You may not =
recognize me as an adult and with a married name, but I will never =
forget you as my teacher during your first year in a classroom 17 years =
ago. No matter what happened to me that year and every year to come in =
middle school, in high school, even having to take an extra year to get =
through college, and an unexpected baby, I knew I was going to be a =
teacher just like you.
Failure was NEVER an option for =
me.”
My eyes said =
it all. Evidently, she had believed me! What greater reward could =
a teacher ever have?
~~
Dr Bob Griffin =
[email protected] =
www.grif.net =
"Jesus =
Knows Me, This I =
Love!"