Report Card Horror

I received quite a surprise in the mail this week when I arrived at my office. Obviously my father has been doing some ‘cleaning up’ around his home and he found my old school report cards from Grades 11 and 12 at Ipswich Grammar School.

The reports are rather decrepit, yellowing and slightly water damaged. At first I just couldn’t open them, as I knew what to expect. As the son of a politician at that time and with a fairly considerable chip on my shoulder, the comments from teachers would have been note worthy to say the least.

Finally I opened the first report card – teacher’s names suddenly made way for faces as memories of them came to me. Then the comments and I certainly was not surprised by what I read.

“Some of Mark’s subjects are still not up to expectation”

“Apart from better subjects Mark’s problem appears to be his own attitude. Only he can change this.”

“At times he finds it easier to move with the group rather than stand out as the strong determined individual he really is.”

“Lacks a serious approach.’

Those remarks were made 34 years ago – how time flies! I must have improved, albeit slightly, because I was admitted to QUT where I studied and completed a Bachelor of Laws. In fact out of a starting year of 120 only 18 of us finished our degree in the prescribed 4 years.

In hindsight the difference was a teacher – she was young and perhaps I was infatuated by her but she would not tolerate any of my rubbish. I remember her name Denise Frost – she taught me Ancient History. Most other teachers yelled at me when I misbehaved but Mrs Frost did something different. She gently took me aside and told me that I was better than the particular act of behaviour that I was in trouble for. I can recall to this day some of the phrases she used to encourage my potential. Yelling didn’t concern me as it only made me a hero in the eyes of the peer group. Somehow in watching me she discovered gentleness over a loud aggressive voice was the way to my potential.

I changed – what caused her to take the time to discover the very thing that would cause me to pay attention and release the discovery as to who I was and who I was meant to be?

There is a soft spot in my heart for those who hide their enormous potential beneath the scars of their past and current circumstances. When I am tempted to write them off I think of a young teacher who discovered a way to a rebellious wounded young man’s soul and as a result the potential within was revealed for all to see.

Where ever you are now Mrs Frost – thank you!