As many of you know, I teach a GED preparation class. I have so many different kinds of people all in one classroom every day. There are those on probation, those who have to be there to receive their state aid check, those who really want to get their GED, and young adults who have to pass the CAHSEE.
The CAHSEE is the California High School Exit Exam. There's an English part and a Math part. I have a few students who are not preparing to take their GED, but need to pass this CAHSEE test in order to receive their high school diploma. And let me tell you, the CAHSEE is one hard test. Teaching high school math has surely challenged me.
I have this one student, M, who is in my class for the CAHSEE test. He is there almost every day--I think because his father makes him come, but he hates every second of being there. For the first two months, he wouldn't even say hi to me. He tells me that I'm boring and that all the stuff we learn is boring---which doesn't bother me because I know he has a motivation issue and everything related to learning is boring to him. So we joke about me being boring and I do my best to keep him on task.
For the first three months, M "pretended" to be stupid. He seriously failed every assignment I gave him. I thought he had some sort of learning disability until I threatened to kick him out of class for lack of effort. Ever since then, he's shown that he can learn and is doing much better. And in fact, he passed the math part of the test, and I am so proud of him. So now, we are working hardcore on writing essays and getting him to pass the English part of the test.
I must say, that I am super patient with him. There were several times that I should have kicked him out, but I have put way too much time and energy into him and have seen some positive results. But I know he hates being there and will celebrate the day that he is out of my class.
The students in my class got me a Christmas gift and in the card, M wrote something that was so surprising to me. He said,"You are the nicest teacher ever and I am learning." Wow! (Just so you know . . . I am not the nicest teacher ever . . . and I sometimes struggle with my ability to help him.) Teaching is not a glorious profession, but one sentence of affirmation can give you all the energy to go on. It will give me the patience and energy to get M to write that five paragraph essay if it's the last thing I do:)
3 comments:
yeah for you!!!You're right about the one sentence of affirmation thing. Sometimes your students will say you are boring, etc, as a cover...they don't want anyone to know that they like you, just in case it isn't cool. Then years later, when no one is looking, (from school), they'll let you into Disney for free. okay, that was my experience with a particularly difficult student. but when the student says something like yours did, while still in your class, that's huge! Celebrate it. susan
that is the best compliment you could ever receive laura!!! keep it up! :)
Good show! Teaching is so rewarding!
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