Every child needs a Mrs. Patton in life.
That’s what Tracy Ross, mother and novelist from Cincinnati, Ohio, thinks. Her son, Kamran, 17, was born with brain-based developmental delays. However, he had a Mrs. Patton—a loving, nurturing, and giving teacher—and it altered the course of Kamran’s life.
Under the selfless care of Mrs. Patton, Kamran excelled; he skipped a grade and graduated from high school with honors at age 17. He is now studying meteorology, “his passion,” at Ohio State University.
“[Teachers] are the backbone of every school in America. They are the people that our children rely on for success,” Ross told The Epoch Times.
Kamran was born in Fairfield, Ohio, on Sept. 11, 2002—on the one-year anniversary of the 9/11 attacks. His birth brought joy and hope to his mother.
“The first time I saw him I was taken in by how beautiful he was. He had a short crown of fuzzy hair that stuck up from his head. To me, he was a symbol of hope and rebirth in the wake of the tragedy our nation faced after the terrorist attacks only a year before,” Ross said.
To her dismay, the day after Kamran’s birth, Ross noticed he had difficulty nursing. A few months later, she realized many of his developmental milestones were not being met: “rolling over, crawling, talking, walking… everything was very delayed.”
Finally, Ross took her son to Cincinnati Children’s Hospital, and after a number of tests, the only thing they afforded her was a diagnosis that the child had “brain-based developmental delays.”
Although Ross did not understand just what her son was dealing with, she knew Kamran struggled with challenges that her other children did not. His delays were evident on a daily basis. For example, he struggled to learn to walk. Then, once he had accomplished that feat, she noticed delays elsewhere.
“His gross and fine motor skills weren’t developing,“ she recalled. ”He had a very hard time managing himself in space, so jungle gyms were particularly hard. He didn’t know how to place his hands and feet so he could climb.
“He didn’t know how to clothe himself or feed himself. He had a hard time talking and he’d get so frustrated with it all that he would throw temper tantrums. Everything was a mountain to be overcome.”
Ross helped shepherd Kamran over his mountains the best she could, obtaining help from his enrollment in physical, speech, and occupational therapy. Kamran attended preschool for two years and then was placed in an Independent Education Program (IEP) in Kindergarten.
Then, he met Mrs. Patton.
It was at Meet the Teacher Night at Fairfield Central Elementary School. At first glance, Ross was uneasy. Hoping for a younger teacher who might have the “patience and tolerance for a boy who had so many problems,” Ross was unsure that Mrs. Patton would have the energy to deal with Kamran’s challenges. But, Ross’s assumptions were proved very wrong.
“Mrs. Patton was one of the best things I could have ever imagined. She knew just how to handle him: how to show firmness while still being caring, how to put down the law while keeping in mind that my boy was a person who just needed a bit more guidance,” Ross said. “Under her nurturing wing, Kamran thrived and broke free of the restraints of that cocoon to emerge this beautiful thing that loved to learn and to talk about all that he learned.”
Mrs. Patton worked patiently and intently with Kamran, and the fruit of her work began to show. Suddenly, Kamran had self-control, verbal communication, and ease of learning all within his grasp. His mother looked on with gratitude as he moved from an IEP to a Gifted Program in the fifth grade.
“The progress I saw gave me hope. He was able to control his frustrations better, to verbally articulate his wants and needs, and to excel in an environment that could easily have brought him down. It made me feel overjoyed to see a boy that had been struggling so much become so smart and confident,” Ross said.
The time that Mrs. Patton invested into Kamran’s life has laid the foundation for the success that Kamran is seeing today.
Ross, who is back in touch with Mrs. Patton after so many years, says Kamran still excels in his studies, loves to learn, and has an exemplary memory. In a recent summer job, he demonstrated honesty, hard work, and loyalty to his team, all admired by his hiring manager. While he still struggles with social interaction at times, he has the support of his family, and Ross says “he is open to learning to be better every day.”
People are not meant to live as islands, says Ross. She credits her son’s success to the contributions of the many loving people who gave of themselves to help Kamran reach his achievements.
“Everything worth having, you gotta work for. Sacrifices were made on the way to where Kamran is today, sacrifices of time, money, and energy were made by me, his father, and Kamran himself. Sacrifices of time were made by my parents and close friends. Sacrifices of oneself were made my Mrs. Patton,” Ross said.
That sacrifice is the mark of a true teacher, a true leader. Mrs. Patton gave of herself in service for the benefit of another. And Kamran is living proof.
“Teachers are our children’s future. It is through their loving guidance that our kids continue on, year after year, in their studies,“ said the proud mom. ”Teachers give all of themselves, often without the accolades they deserve, because they are driven by what lies in their hearts and souls. They aren’t ‘just’ teachers. They are caregivers, coaches, counselors, friends, saviors.
“I am blessed that Kamran had a Mrs. Patton in his life. It is my wish that every child has that.”
