Jan Anderson (sister of Christian author Ann Kiemel Anderson) tells the story of a 3rd grade boy in her class years ago that always did poorly in his assignments. One day Jan said to him, “Rodney, you are very smart. You could be doing so much better in school. In fact, you are one of my finest students.” He looked up at her and said, “I didn’t know that” And from that moment on, Rodney began to change. His papers were neater, his spelling improved and he became one of her top students – all because she affirmed him. She told him something that no one had ever told him before and it changed his life.