TEACHERS: REPERCUSSIONS

COPYRIGHT NELLIE JACOBS, 2005

Nellie Jacobs
Author. Speaker. Consultant.
www.gradingtheteacher.com
www.nelliejacobs.com

"As a teacher, I possess tremendous power to make a child’s life miserable or joyous." Haim Ginott, teacher, pyschotherapist, writer, quoted in Grading the Teacher

Lesley Soden submitted the following story about a devastating experience she had with a teacher; how it affected her well into her adult life; and how she finally overcame the repercussions. We expect that teachers today are more understanding and, therefore, sensitive to the possible ramifications of their actions or words on individual students. Here is what Leslie has to say:

“I had a music teacher in grade 8. I wanted special attention from her (I think I was emotionally needy) and had written her home phone number on the chalk board (which I learned through a private piano teacher). The lady became so incensed with what I'd done that she hauled me out of class, chewed me out and even called my parents. She said I had to learn to respect boundaries (or something along those lines). I was filled with deep shame.

“I carried that image in my mind for over forty years until I realized that I needed to heal it. Had I been the teacher, I'd like to think I would have quietly taken the student aside and said, "Seems to me you need a little extra attention" and then made a point to focus on her. I have visualized this kinder version of the story countless times over the past year ...and I believe that it's undoing the damage that the early experience had on me and my feelings of being not good enough. “

Do you have a memory of an unpleasant experience with a teacher that you ultimately resolved? Tell us your story. Click on the "Post a Comment" button below. To contact me directly, e-mail nellie@nelliejacobs.com.

-Nellie