Ricky often looked out of the window during one of my ninth-grade history classes early in my teaching 1 . He was quiet, and his good grades and mild manner were the reason 2 I did not move him away from the seat by the window.
One day, I3 over his shoulder and quietly asked, "What are you looking at?"
He said, "I am looking at the band."
"If you like the band so much that you have to look at them during this class every day, I want you to go down to Mr. Overby (the band teacher) and tell him that I4 you. Tell him that you want to be in the band," I said.
The next day Ricky went to Mr. Overby and told him I had sent him and he wanted to be in the band. He added that he did not know how to play any instrument.
When Ricky visited me ten years later, he 5 me for telling him to go to Mr. Overby because he fell in love with music and discovered his musical talent that had not been 6 . His musical talent resulted in him getting a(n) 7 to college and earning a degree that allowed him to provide for his family. Most of all, 8 had brought great pleasure and satisfaction to his life.
After Ricky thanked me, I 9 that he did all of the hard work it took to become the wonderfully talented person that he was. I did not make him walk downstairs to join the band, practise his 10 , and get the good grades that led to his college scholarship.
Ricky responded that I could have yelled at him for looking out of the window. Instead, I gave him a(n) 11 that changed his whole life.
After he left, I thought about his words. I12 that I was teaching children with every word I said, every action I took, and with every decision I13 . Ricky's story14 my teaching bar. Most of all, I have never forgotten the lesson Ricky taught me, a15 teacher.
