Stories Never Told - "The Best Teacher In The World"

Good morning dear Community, we begin this weekend with a very special section for us. For the simple fact of becoming the Voice, of those people who have a Story that deserves to be told and/or heard. Today we share a very interesting, extensive anecdote, but without a doubt it will leave us with tremendous reflection and learning. We begin this publication with some wise words from Walter Isaacson (Journalist and Writer): "The competitive advantage of a society will not come from how well it teaches in its schools, multiplication and periodic tables, but from how well it knows how to stimulate imagination and creativity".

That morning, the Professor. Martinez, admitted that he had lied to his students. He had told them that he appreciated them all equally, yet he noticed that at the end of the line sat Santi, a quiet boy, who communicated little with his classmates. There came a time when Prof. Martinez really enjoyed correcting Santi's activities and filling out his report card. No doubt he thought the teacher was getting what he deserved for his disinterest and lack of effort.

In that Institution it was mandatory that each teacher, was in charge of reviewing the files of the students at the beginning of a new grade, however Prof. Martinez was ignoring the one of Santi until leaving it for the end. In fact, when it was his turn to review the young man's file, the teacher found a great surprise. The second grade teacher had noted in the boy's file: Santi is a brilliant student, with excellent grades and behavior, polite, kind, cordial with his teachers and classmates, it is a privilege to have him as a student. Bewildered, the Professor. Martinez, continued reading, the observations and comments of other teachers.

The Third Grade Teacher wrote: Santi is an excellent student and is appreciated by his classmates, but he has problems in continuing to fulfill his duties as a student, because his father was diagnosed with a terminal illness and his mother passed away a year ago. For her part, the fourth grade teacher had written: The death of Santi's father has been devastating for him, he does what he can in the classroom, because his father was the one who encouraged him, and the relatives do not seem to take much interest, although he receives help from the neighbors it is not enough, if we do not take action soon, this situation will affect the young man's behavior significantly. His fifth grade teacher had noted: Santi is sad, he stopped talking and does not have the same interest in studies, he attends school so as not to stay home alone, he has no friends and falls asleep in the classroom. 

Ashamed of himself, Professor Martinez felt the worst of the teachers, questioning his professional ethics. He closed the young man's file, and stayed for hours thinking about everything he had read about that boy. Months later Christmas came, feeling even worse when all the children gave him some gifts wrapped in brightly colored paper and beautiful cards. Santi brought him a package wrapped in a bag from the supermarket. Inside was a used tie and a half-finished bottle of perfume. Professor Martinez opened the gifts in the presence of the students, all of whom made mocking faces as he showed Santi's gift. However, they stopped laughing when the Professor Martinez decided to take off the tie he was wearing and put on the one Santi had given him, praising how beautiful it was and how well it matched his suit, while spraying himself with the perfume.

Santi was the last one to leave that day and before leaving he approached the Professor. Martinez and said: Professor today you look as elegant as my dad used to look and smell just like him. That day the Professor. Martinez was left alone in the classroom, feeling his heart shaking with sadness, he stayed there for more than an hour. That day he decided that he would change the traditional methodology of teaching. From now on, he would dedicate himself to educating children from heart to heart. He began to pay special attention to Santi and as he worked with him, the more he showed his interest in school activities, the better he assimilated the classes. 

Those days the Professor. Martinez reflected by remembering his lie at the beginning of the grade, it was not true that he loved them all equally. Because Santi became one of his favorite students. A year later the Professor found a note that Santi left under His door, in it he told him that he is the best Professor in the world. Six years went by without hearing from Santi. The Professor. Martinez changed institutions and cities, until one day he received a letter from Santi where he explained, that he had finished high school, and reminded him that he was the best teacher in the world. A few years later he again received another letter. The young man told him that in spite of the difficulties he had continued studying and would soon graduate from university with excellent grades, in that letter he also did not forget to remind him that he was the best Professor. Four years later in a new letter, Santi told the Professor. Martinez how he had completed his studies. 

This time the letter was labeled by him; Eng. Santiago Augusto Palacios Contreras, for the best Professor in the world. After one year, the professor. Martínez received one more letter. In it, Santi informed him of his wedding to the woman of his dreams, explaining that nothing would make him happier than to take his father's place in the ceremony. Of course the Professor. Martinez accepted and went to the wedding combining his suit with the tie that Santi gave him at school and smelling the perfume that was his father's. After hugging Santi whispered in his ear: Thank you Professor. Martinez, for having believed in me, thank you, for having shown me that I could achieve important things in my life.

Visibly moved, the Professor. Martinez held him by the shoulders as he said: You are wrong, Santi, it was just the opposite. It was you who showed me that I could be a better Educator, I did not know what it was to teach. You made me understand a phrase that I once read from an author named, (Howard G. Hendricks), who says: "The teaching that leaves traces, is not the one that is done from head to head but from heart to heart".

The best teacher in the world, is a story that makes any educator who has the vocation and conviction that he chose the profession he is passionate about reflect, because a teacher without passion executes his school activities in an unattractive, monotonous and heavy way, that is, he gets bored and bores his students. He manages to turn fantastic activities such as thinking, analyzing, calculating, reasoning, memorizing, into something annoying. We are convinced that it is impossible for a teacher without passion to infect students with the illusion of learning. Therefore, to aspire to educate without passion is to turn a wonderful and exciting profession into a tedious task. In addition, each person who chooses to be an educator must keep in mind that it is a profession that generates other professions and it is not about becoming an educator, because it is simply a fad or to claim in an irresponsible way that I have nothing more to study just to get by. It is worth noting, dear community, that such a story was provided to us by a great friend and ally of Virtual Variety, Professor Aurora Évora. Our respect and admiration for her, we hope you enjoyed this incredible reading, happy day.

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This text was translated from Spanish to English thanks to the translator Deepl.