My Teacher............ [Archive]

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arehat

03-11-2006, 08:44 PM

I read this on the net thought i wld share it

My Teacher Mrs. Maryam
- author unknown

Her name was Mrs Maryam. As she stood in front of her 5th grade class on the very first day of school, she told the children a lie.

Like most teachers, she looked at her students and said that she loved them all the same. But that was impossible, because there in the front row, slumped in his seat was a little boy names Tahir Suleiman.

Mrs Maryam had watched Tahir the year before and noticed that he didn't play well the other children, that his clothes were messy and that he constantly needed a bath. And Tahir could be unpleasant. It got to a point where Mrs Maryam would actually take delight in marking his papers with a red pen, making bold X's and then putting a big "F" at the top of his papers.

At the school where Mrs Maryam taught, she was required to review each child's past records and she put Tahir's off until last. However, when she reviewed his file, she was in for a surprise.

Tahir's 1st grade teacher wrote: "Tahir is a bright child with a ready laugh. He does his work neatly and has good manners. He is a joy to be around."

His 2nd grade teacher wrote: "Tahir is an excellent student, well liked by his classmates, but he is troubled because his mother has a terminal illness and life at home must be a struggle."

His 3rd grade teacher wrote: "His mother's death has been hard on him. He tries to do his best, but his father doesn't show much interest and his home life will soon affect him if some steps aren't taken."

Tahir's 4th grade teacher wrote: "Tahir is withdrawn and doesn't show much interest in school. He doesn't have many friends and he sometimes sleeps in class."

By now, Mrs Maryam realised the problem and she was ashamed of herself. She felt even worse when her students brought her Eid presents, wrapped in beautiful ribbons and bright paper, except for Tahir's.
His present was clumsily wrapped in the heavy, brown paper that he got from a grocery bag. Mrs Maryam took pains to open it in the middle of the other presents. Some of the children started to laugh when she found a rhinestone bracelet with some of the stones missing, and a bottle that was one quarter full of perfume. But she settled the children's laughter when she exclaimed how pretty the bracelet was, putting it on, and dabbing some of the perfume on her wrist. Tahir Suleiman stayed after school that day just long enough to say, "Mrs Maryam, today you smelled just like my mom used to."

After the children left, she cried for at least an hour. On that very day, she quit teaching reading and writing and arithmetic. Instead, she began to teach children. She paid particular attention to Tahir. As she worked with him, his mind seemed to come alive. The more she encouraged him, the faster he responded. By the end of the year, Tahir had become one of the smartest children in the class and, despite her lie that she would love all the children the same, Tahir became one of her "teacher's pets".

A year later, she found a note under her door, from Tahir, telling her that she was still the best teacher he ever had in his whole life.
Six years went by before she got another note from Tahir. He then wrote that he had finished high school, third in his class, and she was still the best teacher he ever had in his whole life.
Four years after that, she got another letter saying that while things had been tough at times, he'd stayed in school, had stuck with it, and would soon graduate from college with the highest of honours. He assured Mrs Maryam that she was still the best and favourite teacher he ever had in his whole life.
Then four more years passed and yet another letter came. This time he explained that after he got his bachelor's degree, he decided to go a little further. The letter explained that she was still the best and favourite teacher he ever had. But now his name was a little longer - the letter was signed, Tahir F. Suleiman, MD.

The story doesn't end there. You see, there was yet another letter that Spring. Tahir said he was soon to be married. He explained that his father had died a couple of years ago and he was wondering if Mrs Maryam might agree to sit in as his "mother" at the wedding.

Of course, Mrs Maryam did. And guess what? She wore that bracelet, the one with the several rhinestones missing. And she made sure she was wearing the perfume that Tahir remembered his mother wearing on their last Eid together. They hugged each other and Dr. Tahir whispered in Mrs Maryam's ear, "Thank you Mrs Maryam for believing in me. Thank you so much for making me feel important and showing me that I could make a difference."

Mrs Maryam, with tears in her eyes, whispered back. She said, "Tahir, you have it all wrong. You were the one who taught me that I could make a difference. I didn't really know how to teach until I met you."

Please remember that wherever you go, and whatever you do, you will have the opportunity to touch and/or change a person's outlook.

Please try to do it in a positive way. Our teachers, friends, family, parents, spouses and our children are there to lift us to our feet when our feet have trouble remembering how to crawl. Make a positive step and assist someone to take the first steps.

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