i distinctly remember being in grade 5
being in a new school, having a new teacher
i remember before parent-teacher conferences
that our teacher had a pre-conference with each one of us
i remember the little cardboard desk cubicle that was designed so that she could talk privately, without distraction in admist a classroom of busy 10 year olds
but what i remember the most is her telling me
"you are a great student but you would do better if you slowed down a bit,
i am not looking for your fastest job but your best job,
think quality over quantity"
for some reason that conversation,
the feelings that i had at that moment,
stayed with me for all these years!
i remember her having confidence in me,
instead of pulling me down,
she was pulling me up to be better than i was allowing myself to be
tonight i found myself having a very similar conversation with my oldest daughter
wanting her to know that her best is within her reach!
hoping that she will strive for good things
hoping that she will see the potential in herself....
does that make sense? have you ever felt like that for your child?
5 comments:
Absolutely!!! Especially with son #2. I am so glad that teacher had an impact on you. Have you ever thought to let her know? Maybe she is still teaching.....do you remember her name?
Her name alludes me, maybe Mrs. Morgan? Can't quite remember. I was new at Neil Campbell. I can remember the classroom, the sun, the windows, where the desk was, us huddled talking and feeling like I had been .... discovered!
very wise words and yes, I've had similar conversations with all of my three somewhere along the way. I think it's great how that stayed with you....I hope it stays with my kiddos too.
Her name was Mrs Gibson...she was very stern or so it seemed. When I started school in Canada I was placed back to grade one,(1949) so I was always behind. A number of years later we moved to a farming communiy in Ontario. The first year I just continued as before........till I enterind her class starting a new school year she encouraged me to take grades five and six in one year, she told me that I was smart enough to accomplish this and I did. I do not remember the extra work I remember her.
wow! a good lesson for all of us- words have impact, whether good or bad. I have the same conversations with my fifth grader.
Post a Comment