Jan taught 3rd grade once, a long time ago. One bright-eyed boy would stand at her desk, watch her, talk to her, and all the while wrapping his finger around a piece of her hair into a little curl. He thought Jan was the shining star in the night.
Over and over, however, he did poorly in his work assignments and daily quizzes.
One day Jan stopped, looked at him, and said, "Rodney, you are very smart. You could be doing so well in school. In fact, you are one of my finest students ...."
Before she could continue to tell him that he should be doing much better in school, he looked up at her with sober, large eyes. "I did not know that!"
From that moment on Rodney began to change. His papers were neater, cleaner and his spelling improved. He was one of her top students -- all because she affirmed him.
She told him something no one ever had before, and it changed his life.
-ann kiemel
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