No Greater Lesson

A sixth grade teacher was trying her best to discipline a particularly mischievous student. She tried reasoning with him. She tried scolding him. She tried bargaining with him. Again and again she sent him to the principal’s office. Finally, she called the boy’s mother. “I’m at the point of no return with your son,” she said. “He’s out of control.” To which the mother replied, “What seems to be the problem?” “The problem is two-fold,” the exasperated teacher said. “Number one, his behavior is horrendous. And number two, he has a perfect attendance record.”

When I try to put myself in that teacher’s shoes — or for that matter, any teacher’s shoes, I have to wonder: with all that teachers go through, how they do it and still manage a near-perfect attendance record? Just think of it — where would we be without those dedicated and enthusiastic individuals charged with the most awesome responsibility imaginable — that of guiding our children as they move through…