Dr. Junlei Li, the co-chair of the Human Development and Education Program at the Harvard Graduate School of Education, shares a poignant and reflective story that underscores the profound, often unnoticed impact teachers have on their students.
He recounts a memorable experience with his Chinese literature teacher that recognizes the dual role his teacher played — she invested in him by acknowledging his potential but also held him accountable, pushing him to strive for improvement. This balanced approach left a lasting impression on Junlei, illustrating how effective teaching can nurture both confidence and a strong work ethic.
During a recent reunion with his teacher, he shared this story only to find that she did not recall reading his essays aloud. However, Junlei’s reflection highlights a crucial point — the daily efforts of teachers can have enduring effects on their students. Even if teachers don’t remember each instance of encouragement, the influence of their actions can profoundly shape their students’ lives.
Junlei’s experience emphasizes that the seemingly small gestures and feedback provided by educators can resonate far beyond the classroom. Teachers may never fully grasp the extent of their influence, but their efforts contribute significantly to the personal and academic development of their students.
This story serves as a reminder to educators about the far-reaching impact of their work and encourages them to continue investing in their students, even when the outcomes are not immediately visible. For students, it underscores the importance of appreciating and reflecting on the ways their teachers have shaped their lives.
Junlei Li speaking:
Just a few weeks ago, I had the pleasure of reconnecting with my high school Chinese teacher. Like, not teaching Chinese the language, but Chinese literature. But, I was telling her that there were these two moments in high school that to this day I remember. One time she assigned an essay, and I tried really hard at it, and I did a good job, and she decided to read out the essay aloud in class.
I was not a strong student, but she read the essay in class, so I felt very good about myself. So on the next essay, instead of putting in the hard work, I start to do kind of fluffy work, things that are superficial and complex. So what happened in the next class is she read my essay again, but this time as the example of what not to do.
But these two stories together, to me meant, here’s a teacher that invested in who I am, who recognized that there is something in me that I may not know, but who also recognized that I need to shape up if I were to ever make something of myself. And so, when I met with her for lunch, just a few weeks ago, after over 30 years, I told her that story and she said, “Oh, I don’t remember that.” But, that’s completely normal, right?
And I think that’s the part I hope all teachers know that there are so many things they do day in and day out they may not remember, and they may never get to find out the impact those little things had on their students, but their students do. And that makes a lasting difference to their students.
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