A Teacher's Influence - Elesean Gordon-Fuller

A TEACHER’S INFLUENCE

By Elesean Gordon-Fuller

Elesean Gordon-Fuller is a 2012 graduate of the University of the West Indies, Mona- CARIMAC. She is seeking to become a media practitioner and has an interest in journalism and public relations. For feedback, please send emails to eleseang@yahoo.com.

Teachers have one of the most difficult jobs. Playing the role of a mother or father, disciplinarian, counselor, nurse and most importantly a role model to a class of thirty or more students could never be easy. The communities in which they live place them on a pedestal and they better do their best to keep their crown. Learning how to balance one’s personal and professional lifestyles can be a challenge especially if one differs significantly from the other.

The minds of our children are so delicate, so impressionable that one, especially a teacher has to think twice before saying or doing anything. Some teachers are forced to tone down or give up some of their personal habits in order to lead a respectable and professional example while others may find it difficult to do so.

A Lasting Impact

About 13 years ago I met one of the most fashionable teachers in my lifetime. She had a unique wardrobe which most of my classmates especially the boys admired. Awaiting this teacher’s entrance on the school compound was something I looked forward to. Some of us played guessing games trying to figure out the hair color that our teacher would be sporting this week. Red, copper, gold, burgundy… she was full of surprises.

One day, while at one of her classes I noticed she had a cute and unusual piercing. This was a first for me and a sight to behold. I quickly became fascinated with the idea. It seemed very cool and back then, my teacher would have been one of the few persons who had this kind of piercing.

From that moment, I had already decided that I wanted this cool piercing if even in the far future. Looking back now, I wonder how I could have been so gullible. But I was young. I had the mind of a child.

Some years later, when I had long left the institution I got this piercing. This act earned the wrath of my parents. Perhaps, this was their first time seeing this type of piercing let alone on one of their daughters. I sported the piercing for about 3 weeks. I didn’t see the big deal about something that I had waited so long to do. To my now mature mind, my reason for getting the piercing made no sense.

In my case this was merely a piece of flesh. But what about some other critical implications that a teacher’s actions may have on a child? Lifetime repercussions maybe. How about those damming words that some teachers may use when a child fails to understand a simple math equation?

Kudos to Our Teachers

Teachers really have their jobs cut out for them. I salute all teachers who have, against all the distractions of society managed to keep a leveled head in playing the role of a mother or father, disciplinarian, counselor, nurse and most importantly a role model to so many children. You will reap your rewards, if even in the far future.

Think twice before you speak, because your words and influence will plant the seed of either success or failure in the mind of another. Napoleon Hill