I too had teachers who looked out for me in special ways. I was so shy like Dan Lok, and it was very hard for me to speak in the 5th grade as we had just moved into a new town and I had no friends in my class for the first time in my 7 years of school. My best friend in school was in all my classes until the 4th grade but we could still see each other over recess and lunch. In the 5th grade I also was taught by my first male teacher. He was a big hulk of a man and I eventually learned that he had Native American ancestory. I sat there quietly, never answered any questions but blushed red if I was called on to answer a question. In the end, Mr. Hutchinson had me read our geography lesson of the day, every day. He would go on to cast me in 4 school plays. I was Lady Candy Floss in a play about princesses and society. I was the Narrator in a play about America called Of Thee I Sing. I then was cast as Tom Sawyer in the Adventures of Tom Sawyer for the production seen by the kids and had to play Becky Thatcher in the version seen by the parents. I then was cast in Scrooge as the Ghost of Christmas Past and of Christmas Yet to Come. That ended my easy flushing, but I still often am quiet in class. I like to listen more than I like to talk. Overall, I am so grateful to those teachers and to my college professor in neuroscience who proposed that I become a neuropsychologist in my sophmore year. She told me I was not cut out for animal research in neuroscience as animals are killed in research labs. She simply told me- You get to work with and understand people and that is challenge that you do well. I am so grateful to so many teachers in my life that include perfect strangers and people who come from all over the world thanks to working in immigration justice and thanks to Service Space for creating such a beautiful and safe space.
ORIGINAL COMMENT