The Best Teachers Teach From the Heart, Not From the Book

 

POINT TO PONDER

"One looks back with appreciation to the brilliant teachers, but with gratitude to those who touched our human feelings.  The curriculum is so much necessary raw material, but warmth is the vital element for the growing plant and for the soul..."  - Carl Jung.

 

STORY LINE by George Samuel

I want to talk about a true life story which exemplifies true leadership to me. The context of this story is in an educational institution, but its implication can be in any business environment wherever there are leaders and employees.

The story is about a girl, Sarah, who in 1985 was attending a Parent / Teacher meeting with her parents in her elementary school during her 1st grade.  Her teacher, Ms. Solomon was a very strict person who taught English and other subjects. When Sarah’s parents approached the teacher, she took them aside and said emphatically "Your daughter is very slow in class, she sits back of the class (as she was tall in her class), and is scared to answer questions when I ask her. Add to that, she gets sick quite often. She needs 1:1 coaching and a lot of prayers to get to the next grade". Imagine how sorry her parents felt after the meeting. Since then, they focused on pushing Sarah to be more outgoing, spend time with her class work, and allow less time for play. But somehow all their efforts were not delivering results.

Every year at the end of the class term, they would be very nervous to see whether Sarah has progressed to the next grade. As her school bus would reach their bus stop and Sarah would come down, the first thing was to check her report card ... and then heave a sigh of relief that she barely made the cut to the next grade. Things continued like this for the next 3 years, until one day as she was preparing to go to school to pick up her end term report, she said "Mommy, I am excited to go to get my grades. I think I will get 5 As this time". Her Mom smiled and thought it was her childish mind wishing for the stars - whereas in reality it would be a miracle for her to just move on to the next grade, as always.

A few hours later, her school bus arrived, we saw Sarah coming down the steps and falling over her Mom’s outstretched arms. She said  "Did I not tell you that I will get 5 A’s. Here, see my report!".  As her Mom opened the report card, she started crying in joy! She had never seen so many A’s in her report card and not a single F. How did this miracle take place?

As it happens, in the 4th grade, Sarah had a teacher Ms. Sheila, who for some unknown reason wanted to talk more with the shy girl. She would ask questions like "What do you like to do, what makes you happy?" and would patiently wait for Sarah to respond slowly. She mentioned that she would go to church and Sunday school regularly and learn new songs. Her teacher asked her to sing these songs to her. Seeing a talent in her, the teacher took a chance.  She asked her school headmistress, "Every afternoon, before the school is dismissed, you say a short prayer. Is it possible that after that, Sarah can sing a small song as well?" The headmistress thought for a moment, and then approved it. Sarah loved it and did a good job. She got another chance soon and within no time, Sarah was regularly singing in front of others for other events.

Now, Sarah was no longer an unknown student, as other kids and other teachers started recognizing her for her talent. Sarah started feeling confident. Right at this time, her teacher said "Just like you are good in your singing, you can be excellent in your academics if you want. You just need to work hard and I will help you". That was all Sarah needed. Since then, she started putting focus in her studies, wanting to do well in her exams. That confidence garnered through singing was now been seen in her attentiveness and results in her tests culminating to that winter day when she came home with 5 As in her report card.

Since then, Sarah has not looked back. She continued singing in her church and with her strong work ethic, stood first in her high school exams and then a few years later, got admission to a reputed medical school.  After doing exceedingly well there, she is now completing her residency at a top US hospital. All of this would not have been possible, if the 4th grade teacher did not believe that Sarah had the potential to do well. How do I know Sarah?  She happens to be my younger sister and so I was able to see all of this in front of my eyes.

 

REFLECTION

Every leader in an organization has the opportunity to develop talents in their employees. It takes time and effort but will only start if you look at each individual and try to find their passions and blend that to the company needs. If you have someone who believed in you, feel free to share your story to others.

Comments

[Harshvir Singh]

This is so good. This made me remember some of my teachers who have left an everlasting mark in my life and career.

In our current organisation, every year we take in about 50 interns who do project training . AT the end , we hire 5-6 professionals and normally others also get a job soon. Towards the end of this training , they host/organize a party where besides dancing , they do all activities. Our HR Head came to me an hour back asking me to talk to all of them , at the end of the party, which is going to be today evening. Just as I was wondering, what to say, I got this in my mailbox. And this is the perfect experience to share with them all and also my staff who are going to be there.
Thanks!!!!!!

[Mark Dennen]

I still speak to my High School math teacher at least once/month, visit and stay with him and his wife twice/year. My senior year, I spent an least eight classes/week in his room, a room with a large window looking out in the hall and two other walls covered with blackboards (actually they were gold in color). Class in Gary Egli's room might involve a short lecture, but 80% of one's time was spent standing at the board doing problems. Why? In my opinion, it is because that is what most are paid to do in life, solve problems - so you had better get used to doing it. Of course, one would always look for a shortcut, an elegant (and easy) path to the solution which Gary referred to as "Superman stunts" and all too often I would hear him reminding me, "Dennen, there is only one Superman in this room and it ain't you!". In my career, I thought of my job as a "fixer". There were problems and they had to be solved, but in life, you cannot look in the back of the book to see the answer, you have to reason it out as best you can. Gary Egli taught me how to approach and solve problems and it served me well. I own him much.

Posted by: Mark Dennen | May 16, 2015 at 04:38 AM

[Kaka Dog]

I used to have a good boss.

Find people's energy underneath by encouraging and empower them with trust.

I do feel growth/improvement during the period under this good boss.

Posted by: Kaka dog | May 15, 2015 at 02:44 PM

[alex]

Here is small story hanging on the wall of the Pharo Royal Institute of Art.
Pharo is the capital of Bhutan, a small Buddhist Himalayan kingdom that I visited this May.

Small Story with lots of feelings....
A little girl and her father were crossing a bridge. The father was kind of scared, so he asked his little daughter: "sweetheart, please hold my hand, so that you don't fail into the river.
The little girl said: "no, Dad, YOU hold my hand". "What is the difference?"-Asked the puzzled father.
"There is a big difference", replied the little girl. If I hold your hand and something happens to me, chances are That I may let your hand go. But if you hold my hand, I can be ssure that no matter what happens, you will never let my hand go".
In any relationship, the essence of trust is not in its bind... So hold the hand of the person who loves you, rather than expecting them to hold tours