If you've read my previous posts about child molestation, you are familiar with the effects it had on me afterwards as a child. I went from an extremely outgoing, and outspoken child to a kid who would not even let her mother brush her hair. I would wear clothes that were two or three times my size because I was so ashamed of my body. I had trouble sleeping, I would jump awake at the slightest sounds. So when I would finally sleep, I would not want to get up in the morning and was often late or absent from school.
Going into the fourth grade we got a new teacher. New to the village entirely. We were all scared and nervous. I was even more scared because it was a male. While I got excellent grades, and was sent to the junior high for reading, my truancy was having an impact on my grades. One day, I was extremely late for school and my teacher pulled me aside and brought me into a little kitchen they had. I was soooo scared, and thought that I was going to get detention or extra homework. The words spoken to me that day stuck with me for the rest of my life, and I still, to this day, find myself thinking of them. He told me he wasn't sure what was going on in my life, but knew it couldn't be good. He told me that he wasn't there to lecture me or try to make me talk about something that I didn't want to talk about. I think after that sentence I started crying. He told me that he knew I was an exceptionally bright student who was academically advanced for her age, and for those reasons, he was going to look passed my attendance and work with me. He told me that he thought I would be a doctor or a lawyer some day. I don't think he ever knew how great that made me feel. Soon after I started brushing my hair, and he would tell me my hair looked nice. I started MAKING myself be on time for school no matter how tired I was from not sleeping. To this day, those words stick with me. I pride myself on doing my best to further my education, no matter what obstacles are placed before me. I may not be getting there as fast as I'd like, but I'm getting there.
I would like to end this post to a special thanks to David Voisine Sr. My fourth and fifth grade teacher.
Right on David! Teachers have made a HUGE impact on my life! My mother was a teacher in the school and my dad (in a way) was a teacher in the community. I am going for my teaching degree and plan to return to the village to teach and hopefully get more students out and in college or training. I have written many letters to different teachers that I have had that made a huge impact on my life. Teachers love hearing how much they helped students so I encourage everyone to write a thank you letter to the teachers that have helped them! TEACHERS ROCK! Thanks for this post! =)
ReplyDelete<3 that's awesome.
ReplyDeleteThis is so heartwarming! I love this post. Thank you for sharing and God bless Mr David Voisine Sr!!
ReplyDeleteHello, I haven't posted on here before, but met you, Carol, on the phone this week. This is Sandy Lee, author of "Father, Forgive My Father" (by Sandra G. Lee) and I was a victim of incest by my father for 15 years. In 2005 I published my book and now in my retirement years (50 years after the abuse) I am reaching out to help victims everywhere. You are right, abuse is not alright...anytime, anywhere, and robs the victim of so much...until she/he heals the scars of abuse. That's what my book deals with...healing through forgiveness. Part of that healing takes place when we ACT (Acknowledge we are a victim and it happened....Confront our abuser & deal with them....and Talk about it and get it out in the open).
ReplyDeleteYou are also right when you say that "Teachers Are Heroes"...they CAN BE, but in my case they weren't. Instead of picking up on it and taking notice, they ridiculed me for my behavior. If they had taken it a step further, they could have helped me and cut my years of suffering short. In PE class in junior high school I always wanted a private shower, because I didn't want my body seen in the gang shower...I felt dirty and thought everyone would know. So instead of taking notice and helping, my PE teacher said, "Oh, does Princess Sandy have to have her own shower again." That was devastating on top of what I was already going through. Then in Speech Class (which I had taken to get more confidence) my teacher made fun of me and held me up to ridicule. I had practiced my poem to recite in front of the class and knew it backwards and forwards, but when it came to reciting it, I got a total mental block. The teacher said, "Sandy, I wonder what goes on in your head...you never raise your hand or volunteer in any way. You didn't prepare for the poem recitation, so you get an "F". I couldn't tell him that I just didn't feel good enough to be in front of the class...but if he had just done a little more questioning me in private, I might have shared it, and gotten some much needed help. Teachers, if you are reading this and your student shows signs of not feeling confident enough to recite or share, take this child aside and ask them if they are having problems at home. Tell them that you are there to support and help them if needed. There is a LOT you can do just from your little corner of the world. Don't let someone slip through the cracks like I did...reach out and offer to help.