You never know

Last Sunday morning, I was visiting with a consultant who helps mentor and train pre-service teachers for an area university.  While we were talking in the church office, a veteran teacher walked in.  The consultant stopped, looked at her, and said, "I need to tell you something." He proceeded to tell how one of his pre-service teachers shared that the reason she wanted to teach was because she had struggled in school, had poor behavior, and didn't feel like her teachers cared about her.  But there was this one teacher in 4th grade who did care.  This teacher loved her, but also pushed her hard when she didn't want to work. She told how this lady would even come to her house, sit at her kitchen table, and make sure she was learning. "It's because of her that I want to be a teacher,"

Tears were beginning to form in my eyes as I listened to this story, but I was stunned when my consultant friend looked in the veteran teacher's eyes and said, "You were that teacher." As he shared the girl's name, a light shone in her eyes.  "Oh, yes, I remember her.  We went round and round, but I refused to give up. I'm so glad she is doing well."

As educators, we may never see the real impact that we have on our students.  It could be years later before the fruits of our labor come to fruition.  But, we do have an impact, for good or ill.
Each day, we need to focus on giving our best to every student and not accepting less than their best, no matter how hard that is to accomplish.  It will be worth it if we don't give up.