Teacher notes in Jeron’s folder “He’s capable but unmotivated.” Succeeding years revealed the same conclusions from teachers, principles, and counselors. They tried.
The turn=around happened in a high school math class. Jeron was doodling in his workbook instead of doing math. Mr. Taylor told Jeron to turn in a “pictorial essay” in which he expresses his feelings about math and doodling.
Jeron did so. His picture consisted of a swamp with river reeds, cattails, and azaleas.
Mr. Taylor is watching as Jeron draws in public square. Jeron has earned $700 today. He will give the expense/income figures to his accountant.
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Rochelle hosts the 100 word picture prompt at https://rochellewisoff.com/ PHOTO PROMPT © Brenda Cox
About oneta hayes
ABOUT ME
Hello. To various folks I am Neat’nee, Mom, Grandma Neta, Gramma, Aunt Neta, Aunt Noni, Aunt Neno, and Aunt Neto (lots of varieties from little nieces and nephews). To some I’m more like “Didn’t you used to be my teacher?” or “Don’t I know you from someplace?” To you, perhaps, I am a Fellow Blogger. Not “fellow” like a male or a guy, but “fellow” like a companion or an adventurer. I would choose to be Grandma Blogger, and have you pull up a chair, my website before you, while I tell you of some days of yore. I have experienced life much differently than most of you. It was and is a good life. I hope to share nuggets of appreciation for those who have gone before me and those who come after me. By necessity you are among those who come after me and I will tell you of those who came before. Once upon a time in a little house on a prairie - oops, change that lest I commit plagiarism - and change that “house on the prairie” to “dugout on the prairie.” So my story begins...
Sweet aroma 
Some people aren’t born to math, but to doodle…. 🙂
Yes, but everybody is for something.
True!
Mr Taylor is a great teacher
Yes, indeed.
If we can just recognize the gifts in children instead of seeing everything in a negative light that doesn’t fit our agenda…
I was sent a story recently about a girl who had been expelled from one school after another, the main problem being her inability to sit still! Before a conference with her parents and teachers, a wise counselor put her in a room and told her to wait. There was music playing, and as the adults watched her through a one-way window, the counselor said, “See? She’s not a bad child. She’s a dancer!” Once redirected, she grew up to be a happy, fulfilled owner of multiple dance studios. 🙂 !
Great story. I once knew a first-grade girl who could read to Grade 14 but she frustrated her teacher very much because she could not do math. I wonder what happened to her. Her teacher sent her to me to check grade placement in reading. When the child got to the last word on the list, she hesitated a bit, then said, “the p is silent, isn’t it” then decoded the word – pseudonym. If there had been more words, I guess she would have read them. She wasn’t slowing down. The sixth graders in my room watched and were blown away!
Nice.
Thanks.
I was never very into math, but I always liked to doodle. Now I get paid to draw pictures and do math.
Doubly blessed. I’m happy for you.
Thanks!
Build on strengths, neutralize barriers…
Great goal.
That’s why maths is not everyone’s cup of tea.
That’s good. I would hate to live in a “math” world, but then I would hate living in a “picture” world. Aren’t we fortunate to have people who do lots of different things? That makes a place for me. 😀
Quite agree 🙂
Mr- Taylor is a very wise man. If only all teachers were like him. Lovely take, Oneta.
Thank you. Teachers get too busy playing traffic cop. Many would love to do this kind of thing. But then Mr. Taylor took the time.
Lovely story. One of my favourites this week.
Thank you, Iain. I’ll get over to catch yours after a bit. I started reading at the bottom up. Haven’t reached you yet.
Great way to make the most of a difficult situation. I like it.
Thank you. You stumped me with your selection. Couldn’t quite figure out the connection between a Goddess and a Guard.
Oh, wow. Kinda flattered it stuck with you. The image in my mind was of old school mystery religions where usually a slave would be “goddess” and forced to play that “honored” role. Often before being executed or whatever. It is one of those motifs that often comes to mind in contrast to the God we see with unveiled faces. Which we all long for, and as Christians we have. If I remember right, I think you are Christian too. Thanks for remembering and asking. I was especially thinking of CS Lewis Till We All Have Faces which was his take on a Greek myth along those lines.
Sorry, my reply below was supposed to go to someone else. Too late for me to figure out what I did wrong. But thanks for the comment. See you next FF – maybe?