My American experience was mostly through the growth of a teenager.   Like the influence of religion, early enlightenment of a child is critical to his/her subsequent development.   I am thankful to a teacher for Amy’s early enlightenment.

Ms H was a 2^nd grade teacher.  She came to the school new just after newly getting married.   She had a dog.   Her students knew her as well as her dog because of their close conversations.  Basically she treated students like her kids.

There was one key word / phrase I remember that she passed to student, which was very important to Amy. She said that “I can’t” was a dirty word, never use it if you could avoid.  

Yes, that was such a simple expression, but it meant a lot to a student.  Amy listened to her teachers mostly, not listening to parents.  So what is taught in school is more important than what is being told at home.  I saw how this affected Amy’s early language expression and her attitude toward solving problems in subsequent school years.   Compared to most students, Amy was short.  She would not say “short”, she said that she was “vertically challenged”.  

In our 2008 US president campaign, the Obama slogan “Yes, we can” was a similar idea to what Ms H taught student about the “I can’t” being a dirty word.    Such a simple phrase, as it was coming from the authority of an educator, its power was amplified.  It must have shaped, or re-shaped many young minds toward healthier development.   At least I did feel the energy of the words by looking at someone close by.

It is possible that a successful education, for character buildup, may depend on only a few key words, each at the right moment of a development stage.  It also depends on who says these words first.  Its value is more weighted if it is from an educator.