Among all the years spent in school: 17 in total if you count university, 3 teachers saw my gifts but only one really did something about it. I was in year 2. Helene was the 3rd grade teacher. She had noticed me and she asked my year 2 teacher if I could come in her class more often to write with her. She said I should be participating in the local public speaking contest and that we would write a story together.
I spent a few months in her class writing our story together and she would make me practice in front of her class. It was about a little girl’s dream flying in the sky on a white horse. I went on to win the public speaking contest. That evening, my parents went to thank her for all her hard work...
She smiled and said: “When a child has gift, it’s our job to help them dig it out. Annie has a real talent and I just helped her see what she already has.”
That woman wasn’t my teacher. She had nothing to gain from this. She was just following her inner guidance. She taught me a lot. And for that I will always be grateful. Sadly, she passed away before becoming my 3rd grade teacher. I like to imagine her today as my guardian angel.
“The biggest enemy to learning is the talking teacher.”
“Children learn from anything and everything they see. They learn wherever they are, not just in special learning places.”
-John Holt
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