I was dragging a bit at 4 this afternoon when a former student stopped by to see me. It had been a long day full of teaching and meetings and an after-school club, and I still had a few things to do for my lesson tomorrow.
Still, it's always nice when the kids come back to visit, even if it hasn't been too long. This particular guy was in my homeroom and my English class just last year, and time had not erased my memory of his struggle to focus, follow directions, and do his work.
Despite all that we have a very friendly relationship, and I was glad to see him when he plopped himself down in the chair by my desk and told me he was bored. I could understand-- he's in the after school program until his parents pick him up, usually at five. We exchanged pleasantries, but it wasn't too long before our conversation wound its way to his progress and grades this year. "I'm doing much better," he told me. "You should see."
"Well, I can see," I said. "I can look up grades for any student in the school. What do you think? Should we take a look at yours?"
"Um," he hesitated only briefly. "Sure."
With the exception of math, his grades were less than stellar. "Your math grade is great!" I said. "What's going on with everything else?"
I wasn't surprised when he had an explanation for each class. That's how it was last year.
"Mm hmm," I nodded sympathetically after every reason. "Well, what about tonight?" I asked when he was done. "Do you have any homework?"
"Actually, I do," he said, and then he shrugged. "But, I need a computer, so I'm just going to do it at home."
I pointed to the lap top next to him. "You can use that one," I suggested. "Since you have some time until your mom comes."
He leapt to his feet. "I gotta go!" he called over his shoulder as he darted out the door.
Still, it's always nice when the kids come back to visit, even if it hasn't been too long. This particular guy was in my homeroom and my English class just last year, and time had not erased my memory of his struggle to focus, follow directions, and do his work.
Despite all that we have a very friendly relationship, and I was glad to see him when he plopped himself down in the chair by my desk and told me he was bored. I could understand-- he's in the after school program until his parents pick him up, usually at five. We exchanged pleasantries, but it wasn't too long before our conversation wound its way to his progress and grades this year. "I'm doing much better," he told me. "You should see."
"Well, I can see," I said. "I can look up grades for any student in the school. What do you think? Should we take a look at yours?"
"Um," he hesitated only briefly. "Sure."
With the exception of math, his grades were less than stellar. "Your math grade is great!" I said. "What's going on with everything else?"
I wasn't surprised when he had an explanation for each class. That's how it was last year.
"Mm hmm," I nodded sympathetically after every reason. "Well, what about tonight?" I asked when he was done. "Do you have any homework?"
"Actually, I do," he said, and then he shrugged. "But, I need a computer, so I'm just going to do it at home."
I pointed to the lap top next to him. "You can use that one," I suggested. "Since you have some time until your mom comes."
He leapt to his feet. "I gotta go!" he called over his shoulder as he darted out the door.
Ha ha so many that think we will never care or find the truth and yet we always do.
ReplyDeleteGrin! I can just see him dashing out the door.
ReplyDelete