Some memories never fade, and that's because they made a subtle change inside of us— our confidence, our direction, and our sense of self. Sometimes, it’s the smallest interactions, the unexpected encouragement, or a song playing in the car that ends up shaping who we become.
At times, I'm reminded about the teachers who didn’t just teach me, but saw me. The ones who made me feel like I mattered, even before I knew why.
This morning while I was riding in the car, a song came on that reminded me of a moment in my childhood, AppleTree by Erykah Badu. In 5th/6th grade, I had a teacher, Ms. Sligh, who introduced me to neo-soul music, specifically Erykah Badu. One day she drove me home after school, and popped in her Baduism cd. The type of soul I was introduced to that day... I didn’t know it then, but the love of different genres of music would become a permanent part of my life.
In junior high, my band director, Mr. Hoover, was the first adult to look at me and say, “You’re ready for more.” He saw potential in my drumming and my ability to sight-read music, so he’d challenge me with pages from his theory books just to see if I could hang, and I always did. He even made me the Captain of the DrumLine a whole year early, while most kids had to wait until 9th grade and audition to be considered. I was still in 8th grade. That level of belief? It planted a seed of confidence in me that I still carry.
Then in high school, my homeroom teacher, Mr. Briggs, who probably doesn’t even know how much he helped me find peace with myself. As a girl who dressed tomboyish, I was constantly on the receiving end of questions about my sexuality, probably from a place of curiosity and judgment. But he always made me feel comfortable in my skin. He'd call me his favorite and tell me, “Be proud of who you are, always.” And somehow, that gave me permission to just be without apology.
And when I got to college, I learned that sometimes, people will show up for you when you need it. Mr. Thomas, Chair of the Communications Department, worked with me one-on-one to make sure I could graduate on time. I was short three credits, which I found out weeks before graduation, and he sat with me in his office and said, "I'm going to give you a project to do, and sign off on the credits when you turn the project in." He offered solutions and support. That’s grace that I’ll never forget. I also remember my mom being elated with a sigh of relief of, lord this girl is finally going to finish college. Haha, my college years stressed her out!
What these moment taught me, and what I want you to consider doing?
Each of those people played a powerful role in who I became. They didn’t have to give life-altering speeches or be some kind of influencer or superstar for me to listen, they just had to be present. They had to believe in me when I didn’t yet believe in myself, or know how to believe in myself for that matter. They just had to pay attention to me, or just expose me to new things. And they did!
Now that I’m older, I realize how sacred that kind of encouragement is. And how necessary it is.
Let's show up for these Kids...
You may not be a teacher by title, but if you interact with children you are a teacher in their lives. You're shaping their story.
Kids are watching everything. They absorb energy, tone, body language, comments and more. And one moment of kindness, or one word of belief can last a lifetime.
Here’s how to show up with intention:
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Speak life into them. Tell them what’s good about them, especially the things that might make them feel different. That’s where their potential is.
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Expose them to beauty. Music. Art. Books. Sports. Nature. Conversations. Pass along things that will stretch their imagination and grow their self-worth.
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Listen deeply. Kids are often silenced or overlooked. Listening with your full presence makes them feel like they matter.
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Encourage their quirks. Don’t rush to fix or mold them into someone else’s standard. The thing that makes them “weird” could become their brilliance.
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Be honest and kind. Children don’t need perfection. They need consistency, honesty, and a balance between soft and sternness. You don’t need all the answers. Just show up with love.
You never know what you might spark. Because for me...
My teacher who played music in the car didn’t just share a song, she opened my mind to another genre of music.
My band director didn’t just hand me a challenge, he handed me belief.
My homeroom teacher didn’t just call me his favorite, he gave me permission to take pride in who I was.
And my college dean showed me the affects of giving grace and helping others because you want to see them succeed.
I'm not a parent of any children nor do I work with children much, so I know there's some things that I'm unknowledgeable about, so to some, taking advice from me may feel unwarranted.
But I do know this, I was once a kid and so were you. And we now know what we needed.
So let's start shaping the next generation to go do some good in this world!
Peace.
written by Morgan | @MORGANtheCEO
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