Character

Today Micah's teacher gave out classroom awards at school. All the parents were invited to be present at the little award ceremony she had planned. Mrs. R. gave out certificates for academic achievements within the classroom and recognized students who participated in the A.C.S.I. speech meet, Math and choir competitions. The next thing she did really impressed me... She presented each student with a Certificate Of Character.

Mrs. R said she spent several nights in prayer as she considered which character quality she would mention for each child, for she knew every child held several wonderful qualities. She called up each child one by one and looked them in their eyes (as if they were the only two people standing in the room), and told each child why she chose that particular character quality for them. I could tell that Mrs. R's words were from her heart, because she would get all choked up while talking to each student. She would have to pause continuously, and tell herself that she had to save her tears for Friday when she would be saying her final good-bye for the summer.

I could tell that the children admire her and that they took every word she said to heart. Their eyes lit up and they smiled from ear to ear as they heard the positive words coming from Mrs R's heart.

When it came Micah's turn, Mrs. R said the character she sees the most in him is Availability. Mrs. R then defined to Micah what she meant by him having this quality. She said to him (and also wrote this on the back of his certificate)

AVAILABILITY - Micah, you are always ready and willing to accomplish a task and help others. You have a willingness to be used by God in whatever way He desires. She also went on and gave examples of his willingness to help others witnin the classroom.

I know Mrs. R's words brought so much joy and encouragement to not only Micah but to myself as well. It confirmed to me (once again) that we made the right choice to take him out of public school and put him into private school mid-year. Mrs. R's words were a far cry from his former teacher's choice of words when she (the former teacher) told Soowan and I that Micah was 'rather annoying' at our parent teacher conference in the Fall.

While Micah is not perfect by any means, and we'll be the first to admit it, I believe a good teacher (like Mrs. R) helps their students in their weaknesses, and help them develop skills that the child can take with them into their adult life. To not only teach academic skills, but to show them life skills, through example and by loving their students as Christ loves them as well. Mrs. R is the first teacher Micah has had who holds this type of character quality... She exhumes the title TEACHER in every way possible.