Take a moment and think back to the teachers who had the most profound impact on your life. One or two may stand out, perhaps more. What was it about them that was so influential? The power of their compelling ideas? Their unique pedagogical skill and charisma? Or was it something much more subtle, perhaps the quiet and gentle support and encouragement they offered you? Not all teachers have such impact, but truly special ones do. Robert Frost wrote, “There are two kinds of teachers: the kind that fill you with so much quail shot that you can’t move, and the kind that just gives you a little prod behind and you jump to the skies.” John Walsh clearly appreciates the difference.
John Walsh is a partner in the East Greenwich-based communications firm, Walsh & Associates. He writes a monthly Op-Ed column for the Providence Journal, which published an earlier version of this essay. Walsh also shares observations at johnwalshcopy.com