GAIL WHITE Teachers deserve gratitude for their efforts and guidance

I was sitting in the middle school principal's office discussing my son's recent act of mischievous behavior with his friends.
I was furious. My son was upset. The principal was calm but firm. Like a lawyer, he asked direct, matter-of-fact questions regarding the incident.
Resolving the matter, Mr. Wagner, the principal, looked at my son. "You know what I think of you," he said. "Tell your mother what I think of you."
Shyly, the 14-year-old lifted his head and said, "You like me."
"That's right," Mr. Wagner said. "I like you a lot."
With the state of frustration that I was in, I needed to hear the words. My son, who banters with his principal in the halls and knows that Mr. Wagner enjoys him (most of the time), needed to hear the reinforcement as well.
Self-confidence
My son knows that I have high hopes for him and believe in him, but somehow, knowing that his principal has those same hopes and beliefs in him gives him a greater sense of belief in himself.
"I have the best class," my son's fifth-grade teacher told me. "I think children live up to what you tell them about themselves. I tell them they are the best and they act that way."
Mrs. Libb's enthusiasm with her pupils is undoubtedly the reason why my son chose to stay at school one recent afternoon when his grade had been dismissed after a program.
I think my son is great. His teacher's telling him and his classmates that they are "the best" builds a great sense of pride in them.
Giving praise
My fourth-grader shared a technique with his teacher that he had learned last summer.
"When we get noisy, have us close our eyes," he suggested to her.
She tried his suggestion, and the room grew silent.
"Mrs. Pemberton winked at me," he beamed with pride.
I think my son has good ideas. It meant the world to him that his teacher listened to his idea and tried it. The wink was worth a thousand A's.
I sat through a choir concert in disbelief as fifth- and sixth-graders sang "The Hallelujah Chorus" from Handel's "Messiah."
These 11- and 12-year-olds did not fully comprehend the level of difficulty of the song they were singing. The choir teacher presented it to them. He thought they could do it -- and so they did.
Their voices left the audience with tear-filled eyes and goose bumps, jumping out of our seats to give a standing ovation. But it was the smile from Mr. Bennett that pleased the chorus members the most.
All across the Mahoning Valley, educators make an impact on children every day.
From the child who doesn't think he can learn to read, to the young adult who isn't sure if she should go to college, teachers inspire, ignite and empower the young minds of tomorrow.
Math lessons, reading assignments and science experiments give children the knowledge to succeed in life.
But it is the attitude, enthusiasm and character development educators instill in young minds while teaching those subjects that give children the belief that they can succeed.
Thanks to teachers
As a parent, I share my hopes, dreams and expectations for my children all the time.
Whenever they come up against a hardship, they know I will be standing with them, telling them that they can do it. Without a doubt, they need that from me.
But when an adult who isn't their parent encourages them and believes in them, there is a certain swelling of self-esteem that occurs.
Caring parents coupled with dedicated teachers create children and young adults who are equipped to make their mark on the world.
From every parent whose children you touch, we thank you, teachers, with heartfelt gratitude, for your impact on our children's lives -- not just intellectually but emotionally.
May every hard-working, dedicated educator have a wonderfully refreshing and blessed summer.
gwhite@vindy.com