Teachers are some of the most inspirational and influential people in a child’s life. For many students, more hours of the day are spent with their teachers than are spent interacting with their own parents.

For Teresa, this teacher was Ms. Singer. Teresa was a high school student who had a reputation in school of being a disruptive, angry troublemaker. She was removed from class regularly for arguing with teachers, mouthing off, and picking fights with other students. Teresa was no stranger to the principal’s office and found herself failing more classes than she was passing. Despite all this, one teacher, Ms. Singer, chose to provide her with the student support she needed by believing in her doggedly and reaffirming it constantly, despite Teresa’s own lack of belief in herself.

Ms. Singer held the line with Teresa, not based on her being a “problem,” but based on the “10″ she knew Teresa could be. Teresa knew how this teacher felt, and a rapport developed between them. Ms. Singer provided Teresa with student support by establishing a relationship with her and making an investment in who she was and could one day be. Ms. Singer let Teresa’s potential be her guide. While in the moments of each incident when Teresa felt angry and frustrated, Ms. Singer left her with compassion, unswerving commitment, and the belief that she could succeed.

On the last day of class, Teresa handed Ms. Singer a note that said this; “… Thank you for everything you did and taught me … I’m sorry for all I put you through. I was surprised that you didn’t kick me out of your class because I know I was a pain. Now I’m determined to get something out of life. My mom would be proud of me for doing this and I’m going to make her happy. Thank you for believing in me. And keep up the good work because what you’re doing is helping a lot of students get through life.”

Ms. Singer, similar to every teacher who uses Quantum Learning methods in their classroom, knows that every student has the potential for achievement; and every student is a spark just waiting to ignite. By focusing on Teresa’s potential and future, Ms. Singer could see the positives that Teresa was capable of achieving over the negativity and resistance she was holding onto so tightly. For Teresa, it was these extra moments that would leave the greatest impact on her life.

Ms. Singer understood the impact of Affirmations. She knew how to use positive language and support to counteract the negative voice inside Teresa’s head. By affirming Teresa’s actions, Ms. Singer acknowledged her every effort and was able to transfer Teresa’s energy into a positive direction.

Students thrive in environments where they know they can receive individual recognition for who they are and what they can accomplish. In ‘The Study of Children Learning,’ Gordon Wells notes, “Children who feel, or who are made to feel unaccepted and incompetent may be slow to recover their self-confidence, and as a result, their ability to benefit from the enlarged opportunities for learning that school provides may be diminished or even, in extreme cases, irrevocably damaged.”

Through the power of positive affirmation and student support, Ms. Singer was able to build a positive rapport with Teresa that led to a great payoff. Ms. Singer did this by removing Teresa’s fears, engaging her emotions, and forming a positive connection with her. Rapport serves as an entrance into students’ lives, creating a way to be in their world, on their level, to know their concerns, share their successes and speak their language. The degree to which a teacher enters a student’s world is the degree of influence the teacher has in their lives. For Ms. Singer and Teresa, this student support is the difference that made all the difference.