Dr. Daniel Mark Graves

Today, my oldest son, Daniel, has his graduation ceremony for obtaining his PhD in electrical and computer engineering. He is now officially, Dr. Daniel Mark Graves.

Here is his picture:

Oops! Wrong picture! That was a few years back when Daniel graduated from pre-school.

Here is a more recent picture of Daniel in Egypt:

Last December, Daniel attended a conference in Egypt to present one of his papers.

When Daniel was in grade 4, his teacher sent home a note depicting a face of a demon and stating that Daniel did very poorly on his first multiplication test. Well, that night and several nights after, I helped Daniel study his times table and sent a note back to his teacher the next day to never send me a note with a picture like that on it again. Daniel almost aced his next math test.

When I attended the parent-teacher meeting near the end of the school year with this same teacher, she told me with annoyance that she contemplated failing Daniel and holding him back a year. I was shocked and asked her, "Why?" She told me that Daniel wouldn't answer her when spoken to and felt he lacked maturity and intelligence. I asked Daniel when we got home, why that was. He told me that his teacher was a screamer and he was scared to answer her.

Fortunately, we moved to another city the next year and God blessed Daniel with a Christian teacher. His new school gave him an aptitude test by request of his teacher and I soon got a call back. His teacher told me that Daniel was gifted. He wanted to put him in a special program to challenge his intellect. Now keep in mind, this occurred only six months later. It shows how teachers can make a big difference in a child's life. I wanted to write his grade 4 teacher a letter, but I didn't.

Then when Daniel was in grade 8, his teacher wanted my permission to give Daniel another test in mathematics. I agreed and with his teacher's recommendation, Daniel skipped a grade. The picture of that demon flashed through my mind. How much better it is to encourage than to discourage? I wanted to write his grade 4 teacher a letter again, but I didn't.

In grade twelve, Daniel received the Bronze Governor General Award for the highest grade point average in his graduation class. I would like to add he obtained in his provincial exams 98 percent in chemistry, 97 percent in mathematics, and 96 percent in physics. I wanted to invite his grade 4 teacher to the ceremonies, but I didn't.

If I listened to his grade 4 teacher, and allowed her to put discouragement in my son's heart, Daniel might not be Dr. Daniel today. Don't listen to discouragement, but be encouraged because the Bible says:

"Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous.
Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the
LORD your God is with you wherever you go."
Joshua 1:9