Do you have heroes? Some people idolize sports stars or movie stars. You may have seen the quiz on the Internet that asks you to name the past 5 or 10 Super Bowl Champions or World Series Champions, and most people are hard pressed to do it. Likewise, when asked to name the last 5 or 10 Oscar winners for Best Picture, Best Actor or Best Actress, few, if any, can name them.
There are other questions on the quiz, but you get the idea.
Then a really great (and important) question is asked. Name 5 or 10 teachers who have made a difference in your life. Almost everyone can think of five. I can name six who have had a significant impact on my life. Two were in elementary school. One was in high school. Two from undergraduate school and one from graduate school. How about you? How many can you think of?
Here is what all of them had in common. They all believed in me and my ability before I did. Their belief in me allowed me to reach beyond where I thought I could go. What a gift!
Now, I would like to go one step further and ask you to return the gift. Find your significant teachers and tell them. Write a “Thank you” note to them or call or email them to tell them that they made a difference in your life. You cannot believe what that will do for them. And for you.
May 5, 2009 at 8:43 am |
It’s absolutely true that my heros are my teachers – mostly my grade school teachers. I was really fortunuate – I can name every one of my K-6 teachers and if I could find them, if they are still “around,” I would love to tell them what a difference they made in my life.
Probably the best teacher ever was Ms. Tannenbaum in sixth grade. She was tireless, patient, brilliant, creative and straight. I remember at the end of the year, some kids were being handed slips that said they’d been accepted into 7th Grade Advanced Math. I was surprised that she handed one to me. I think I had a low B in her class. I went up to her afterwards as if to say, “Are you sure there wasn’t some mistake?” She looked me right in the eye, smiled, and said in the most confident tone, “You’ll do great, Billy.”
Even now, some 40+ years later, recalling that brings real tears of gratitude to my eyes.
I went on to excel in Math, and wound up getting a Master’s degree in Computer Science. In fact, I’ve done many things I never thought I’d do (including lead seminars and publish books on Communication and Relationship). And every time I can hear Ms. Tannenbaum saying, “You’ll do great, Billy.”
William Weil – Author of “New Earth Relationships”