Once, an elderly man encountered a young man who asked if he remembered him. The elderly man replied in the negative. The young man then revealed that he had been one of his students. Curious, the elderly man inquired about the young man’s current occupation. The young man disclosed that he had become a teacher, inspired by the elderly man’s example. Intrigued, the elderly man asked when the young man had made this decision. The young man recounted an anecdote:
“There was a time when a friend of mine had a fancy watch, and I wanted it. So, I took it from him. When he noticed, he informed you, our teacher. You then asked the class to close their eyes while you searched our pockets for the watch. I didn’t return it because I was afraid. However, you found it in my pocket without saying a word. That day, I resolved to become a better person because of you. Do you recall that incident, teacher?”
The elderly teacher remembered searching for the watch but didn’t recognize the young man because he too had closed his eyes.
This tale underscores the notion that effective teaching doesn’t involve shaming individuals to correct them.
J Washburn
Guest Author
