Freeper Canteen ~ Sunday Chapel Thread ~ THE POWER OF A TEACHER~ September 14, 2008

The Canteen Crew ^ | September 6, 20013 | Serving the Best Troops and Vets in the WORLD!

[Brad’s Gramma]

 

 

 

 

 

THE POWER OF A TEACHER

Yesterday, I related the story of a young man who had been labeled as "retarded," yet achieved remarkable success because of one teacher who convinced him that someone else's judgment need not become his reality. The account pointed out the importance of a healthy self-image, and the power of a vision. Today, I want to expand on that thought a bit. What was it that made the teacher in that story so different? Confidence? Experience? Expertise? No, I think it was something far more basic. Let me illustrate with another example.

Eric Butterworth tells the story of a college professor who once sent his sociology class into the Baltimore slums to take case histories on 200 boys. Based on these histories, and their previous studies of sociology, the students then evaluated each boy's likelihood of future success. In every case the prognosis was the same: "This kid doesn't have a chance."

Twenty-five years later, another professor came across that study and had his students follow up. The shocking results contradicted all accepted sociological theory. Twenty of the subjects had died, or had moved away and could not be located. Of the remaining 180, however, all but four had achieved more than ordinary success as lawyers, doctors and businessmen! What could account for this remarkable turn of events?

Intrigued, the professor investigated the matter further. Soon a consistent pattern began to emerge. Each of these men had been motivated and encouraged by a teacher. In fact, by the SAME teacher! She was much older now, but still alive and alert, so the learned scholar sought her out. "What magical formula," he asked, "had she had used to pull these boys out of the slums and into successful careers?" Her eyes sparkled as she said with a gentle smile, "It's really very simple; I LOVED those boys."

That's the real key, isn't it? As someone has said, "People don't care how much you know, until they know how much you care." I have an acquaintance who wants very much to be a coach. He is knowledgeable of his sport, experienced (as a player) and credentialed as a coach. Yet he has proven to be totally ineffective at teaching and motivating young players. Why? They view him as a "bully" -- arrogant, uncaring and harsh. And the fact that they neither respect nor trust him is reflected in their performance.

Consider, on the other hand, the example of Annie Sullivan, who took on the task of training a child with multiple handicaps. In his book, THERE'S A LOT MORE TO HEALTH AND NOT BEING SICK, Bruce Larson points out that, when Ms. Sullivan began her work, her charge was little more than a "hostile, rebellious, untamed animal." With "tough love", however, Ms. Sullivan fought her way in to the girl's life and released one of the most gifted and inspirational women of all time -- Helen Keller. Larson concludes, "Each of us has the power to perform miracles of that sort, if we can begin to communicate to other people that they are important to us, and of supreme value in the sight of God."

One of the most cherished passages in the Christian scriptures (I Corinthians 13) concludes with the statement that three things -- faith, hope and love -- will last throughout eternity. "But the greatest of these," it advises, "is love." May our lives and our legacies reflect that guiding principle.

CAPT J. David Atwater, CHC, USN

 

[AZamericonnie]

Thank you for Chapel Grammie....*Hugs*

[Kathy in Alaska]

Thanks, Military Families, for your service to our country.

John Conlee ~ They Also Serve

[Kathy in Alaska]

To our Military -

Thank you for protecting us. Sleep well and safe.
May you be protected. May your families' hearts be at ease.

Thank you to our Allies.

**********************************

To those of our Military and Allies who gave their all,
- May your souls rest in peace. May your families be comforted.
May your/our country always remember.

[luvie]

LOL! Wish I had thought of that one! :D

[SevenofNine]

Breaking news from Interfax wire report off passanger plane crashes in Russia killing 100 on board

[luvie]

God rest their souls.

Thanks for letting us know, Seven.

[SevenofNine]

OHH UK Sunday Times also report that there is family fight among Chia Pet rugrats between son that got busted at Tokyo Disenyland and Eric Clapton son LOL!

It funny story

Also Sunday UK Express is report that exile Al Quaada radical cleric from London England said Paul McCartney should be kill he going play in Israel this October part of world tour

[Brad’s Gramma]

Happy Lord's Day to each of you!!!

Sorry for cutting out, but we *thought* we had a hot date. But oh noooooooo............the RANGE place we were going....closed early for the night.

*sniff*

[luvie]

Well, poo!

Guess McDonald’s doesn’t measure up? :D

[Brad’s Gramma]

Well poo is RIGHT!

We did McD’s for our anniversary one year....no kidding.

We WERE going to go out to a nice restaurant, then decided the mall sounded So Much Better .... so we stopped at the golden arches and dined in *cough* style before going on a shopping spree!

:)

[luvie]

LOL!

Shopping sprees trump food EVERY time! :D

[AZamericonnie]

Closed? Well that will never do!

Rustling up you & Gramps some scrambled eggs....:)

[AZamericonnie]

KNOW YOUR HYMNS...............

These are darling Luvie!

[Brad’s Gramma]

My post to the two of you is.....lost.....in cyberspace.

Oh man.
The range closes early.
My post disappears.

*SOBBING*

[luvie]

LOL! Thanks, (((Connie)))

Hope you are having a lovely weekend!

[HiJinx]

I got it...that’s when we head for the desert. Ya’ can still do that out here, y’know!

As for food and shopping...we’ve done it similarly. The Food Court in most malls out here beats Mickey D’s hands down, though.

[luvie]

~~patting back~~ It’s okay....

I have had many losses to cyberspace lately. We need
more bandwidth around this place! Sheesh!

[Brad’s Gramma]

Yep....we could still head to the desert! However, this was a spur of the moment decision....

I’ll *sniff* get over it.

I SO want to move......to a state that lets me have the freedom to shoot on my own land.

I have plans. I’m praying they’re the Lord’s plans, too....

[luvie]

Man! That food is making me hungry all over again! LOL!

[luvie]

Walter’s is WAY better! :D

Howdy, Jinxy!