Saturday, August 01, 2009

On Learning

ps: Thank you, because of you, I like myself now

I Like Myself Now

Once you see a child's self-image begin to improve, you will see significant gains in achievement areas, but even more important you will see a child who is beginning to enjoy life more.

I had a great feeling of relief when I began to understand that a youngster needs more than just subject matter. I know mathematics well, and I teach it well. I used to think that was all I needed to do. Now I teach children, not math. I accept the fact that I can only succeed partially with some of them. When I don't have to know all the answers, I seem to have more answers than when I tried to be the expert. The youngster who really made me understand this was Eddie. I asked him one day why the thought he was doing so much better than last year. He gave meaning to my whole new orientation. "It's because I like myself now when I'm with you," he said.

A teacher quoted by Everett Shostrom in Man, the Manipulator

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