Submitted by Pat (not verified) on December 7, 2006 - 14:49.
Yes - I am certain that teacher can pass on this self-confidence, because I was one of those students. When I was in 4th grade, I had a wonderful teacher (Mr. Weidner) that told us over and over that we could do whatever we had set our minds to do. After living in a household with a father that could find fault with absolutely anything and everything, I really doubted that I could do anything at all much less choose that for myself. Mr. Weidner's patience and persistence created an environment of hope, which could then protect the seeds of self-confidence. He shared this message with all of us in his classroom, and we knew that he was always watching. As a girl in a small rural community, where only about 5% of the students even thought about going on to college, his message was completely about not relying on others for your confidence, but knowing - really knowing - that you have mastered the foundations of a topic. As he would question us on the information, I thrived on knowing that I understood what he was asking. They were questions on things that my family didn't value, and so they could counter the negative effects of that feedback. I knew that I had something else to build on.
I have since earned several degrees in the sciences, math, and education, and now enjoy spending my time in a classroom sharing that same message of hope. (and yes, I have also had the oppotunity to go back and share how much this has meant with Mr. Weidner many years later)
Yes - I am certain that
Submitted by Pat (not verified) on December 7, 2006 - 14:49.
Yes - I am certain that teacher can pass on this self-confidence, because I was one of those students. When I was in 4th grade, I had a wonderful teacher (Mr. Weidner) that told us over and over that we could do whatever we had set our minds to do. After living in a household with a father that could find fault with absolutely anything and everything, I really doubted that I could do anything at all much less choose that for myself. Mr. Weidner's patience and persistence created an environment of hope, which could then protect the seeds of self-confidence. He shared this message with all of us in his classroom, and we knew that he was always watching. As a girl in a small rural community, where only about 5% of the students even thought about going on to college, his message was completely about not relying on others for your confidence, but knowing - really knowing - that you have mastered the foundations of a topic. As he would question us on the information, I thrived on knowing that I understood what he was asking. They were questions on things that my family didn't value, and so they could counter the negative effects of that feedback. I knew that I had something else to build on.
I have since earned several degrees in the sciences, math, and education, and now enjoy spending my time in a classroom sharing that same message of hope. (and yes, I have also had the oppotunity to go back and share how much this has meant with Mr. Weidner many years later)