The Joys of being a Teacher.

The Joys of being a Teacher.

Falkland Fountain. (Pen and Ink).

Yesterday I got a message from one of my past students. He was telling me how he had progressed and thanking me for being an inspiration to him. Now happily married he is doing well. 

A funny little story I remember was him going out for a run with me. he was trying very hard to get rid of some weight and get fitter. We ran eight miles the last two in some of the heaviest ever rain. 

A few days later his younger brother was in my class. One of the other students inferred that because I was getting older I would not be able to run the same. The young brother said loudly,"Do not be silly enough to challenge Mr T. to a run. My brother did and he was in bed for two days afterwards. "

The joy and wonder of life is you just never know when and how you are influencing the life of other or inspiring them to greater things.

Reminds me of a lovely story of the teacher and Adrain her pupil. I am sorry it is a longer than normal story but worthy of reading.

Jean Thompson stood in front of her sixth year class  and told her students  a lie. 

Like most teachers, she looked at her students and said that she cared about  all of them the same, that she would treat them all alike. And that was impossible because there in front of her, slumped in his seat on the third row, was a student named Brian.

Mrs. Thompson had watched Brian the year before and noticed he didn't play well with the other children, that his clothes were unkept and that he constantly needed a bath. Even worse he was unpleasant.

It got to the point during the first few months that she would actually take delight in marking his papers with a broad red pen, making bold X's and then marking the F at the top of the paper biggest of all.

Because Brian was a sullen student, no one else seemed to enjoy him, either.

At the school where Mrs. Thompson taught, she was required to review each child's records and put Brian's off until last. When she opened his file, she was in for a surprise. His first year  teacher wrote, "Teddy is a bright, inquisitive student with a ready laugh." "He does his work neatly and has good manners...he is a joy to be around."

His second year teacher wrote, "Teddy is an excellent student well-liked by his classmates, but he is troubled because his mother has a terminal illness and life at home must be a struggle."

His third year teacher wrote, "Teddy continues to work hard but his mother's death has been hard on him. He tries to do his best but his father doesn't show much interest and his home life will soon affect him if some steps aren't taken."

Teddy's fourth year teacher wrote, "Teddy is withdrawn and doesn't show much interest in any of his subjects.  He doesn't have many friends and sometimes sleeps in class. He is tardy and this could become a problem."

By now Mrs. Thompson realized the problem, but Christmas was coming fast. It was all she could do, with the school play and all, until the day before the holidays began and she was suddenly forced to focus on Brian.

Many of the students brought her presents, all in beautiful ribbon and bright paper, or nice little bags, except for Brian's, which was clumsily wrapped in the heavy, brown paper of a scissored grocery bag. 

Mrs. Thompson took pains to open it in the middle of the other presents. Some of the students started to laugh when she found a rhinestone bracelet with some of the stones missing, and a bottle that was one-quarter full of cologne. She stifled the laughter when she exclaimed how pretty the bracelet was, putting it on, and dabbing some of the perfume behind the other wrist.

Brian stayed behind just long enough to say, "Mrs. Thompson, today you smelled just like my mom used to."

After the students left she cried for at least an hour. On that very day, she quit teaching English. Instead, she began to teach students. 

Jean Thompson paid particular attention to one they all called "Brian."

As she worked with him, his mind seemed to come alive. The more she encouraged him, the faster he responded. On days where there would be an important test, Mrs. Thompson would remember that cologne. By the end of the year he had become one of the smartest children in the class and...well, he had also become the "pet" of the teacher who had once vowed to care for all of her students  exactly the same.

A year later she found a note under her door, from Brian, telling her that of all the teachers he'd had in high  school, she was his favourite. Six years went by before she got another note from Brian.
He then wrote that he had finished university, third in his class, and she was still his favourite teacher of all time.

 Then four more years passed and yet another letter came. This time he explained that after he got his bachelor's degree, he decided to go a little further. The letter explained that she was still his favourite teacher, but that now his name was a little longer.

The letter was signed, Dr. Brian Little PHD.

The story doesn't end there. You see, there was yet another letter that Spring. Brian said he'd met this girl and was to be married. He explained that his father had died a couple of years ago and he was wondering, if Mrs. Thompson might agree to sit in the pew usually reserved for the mother of the groom. And guess what, she wore that bracelet, the one with several rhinestones missing. And I bet on that special day, Jean Thompson smelled just like...well, just like the way Teddy remembered his mother smelling on their last Christmas together.

You never can tell what type of impact you may make on another's life by your actions or lack of action. Consider this fact in your venture of life.