gregory brown

  A TRUE STORY 

 

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When I was in elementary school I had a hard time finding something I was good at. Even though I always took home a super report card, never got in trouble, did all my homework, I somehow felt much less than ordinary. While other classmates excelled in throwing softballs or reading stories in half the time I could, I was the child who turned in his test papers fifteen minutes after everyone else had finished. Since it took me longer to digest stories, my library books were forever overdue. During our weekly class “Spelling Bees” I was predictably the first to sit down. I must have had some very understanding teachers to get the decent grades they gave me. “Smart, but slow…gets along well with others…promoted to grade five…have a great summer vacation.”

 

Then something happened that changed my whole world...from the inside. My sixth grade teacher gave her class an assignment that would serve me well in the scheme of things to come. She asked us to write a poem that would be shared with the class. It was to show how we felt about something. “A poem…hmmm? I might be able to do that”, I thought. “I wonder how much time we have?”After a while we were all asked to stand and recite our poems. I was quite nervous, being naturally shy anyway. Would I start to read and be laughed at in “Spelling Bee Reject” fashion? I fidgeted and wished I were home. As each student stood and read, the teacher made a comment about how the poem sounded and how hard they must have worked. After a few poems had been read my classmates were starting to look rather bored with the whole thing. Some had put their heads on their desks or had begun to tap their pencils. Suddenly it was my turn! I stood and read what was scribbled on my paper. To this day, I still remember the lines I wrote:

 

ON A RAINY DAY - by Gregg Brown

 

On a rainy day

When you get on the bus

Your mother yells, your sister cries

And everything’s in a fuss

But when you’re on the bus

And the heater is running fast

You get in your seat, so warm and snug

And hope this feeling will last.

 

I sat back down and wondered if anyone had even heard me. At that point I remember my teacher literally jumping out of her chair and saying, “Wow, Gregg, you have talent! That is a WONDERFUL poem! Your words really made me feel those feelings you had. Would you read it again for us, please?” I was dumb founded. After the second reading, the class applauded. They must have taken their cue from my teacher’s excitement. Underdog comes through! I felt so good. I felt like I was somebody. I felt SUCCESSFULL! It’s no exaggeration on my part to say that the attention and importance my teacher placed on me at that moment changed forever my perception of myself. I’ve been motivated to write ever since. I now truly believe that if we, as teachers and parents, can occasionally “shine the spotlight” on our students and make a big deal out of what they do in class; we can change their lives.

 

A small success paves the way for future successes. The “I’m good at something, so I must be good at other things” seed gets planted

 

.~ Gregory Brown