Last Thursday as I was on my way home after an exercise class (Bar Method to be exact, a grueling torture executed by sadistically perky women) I ran into one of my former students. And while I've tried my best to stick to the teacher's creed of not choosing favorite students, sometimes it's difficult to not become more attatched to some students than others. This one in particular had melted a soft spot into the armor I had attempted to wrap around my heart at the beginning of student teaching.
Like 97% of the students in the high school where I student taught, her family is in the lower end of the soci-economic scale of life. And like 87.8% of students in the high school where I student taught, she is very bright and would have no problem getting good grades in high school or being accepted into a great college if only the deck weren't stacked so high against her.
I caught a glimpse of her in the crowded elevator on the way up to the street. I couldn't immediately catch her eye and for a moment I thought she might have been engrossed with the contents of the floor on purpose. I shrugged and figured I'd spare her the awkwardness of a forced hello. But as we were crossing the street she finally saw me. We hugged it out. I asked how life was treating her. She told me she was happy to see me.
We talked about her life as a senior (stressful) and her plans after high school was over (ambiguous). She's been working to save for college, but more often than not her paychecks are being put towards rent and groceries for the family. She was worried about her SAT scores. She had a hard time studying for them because her family had moved twice since the summer and most of her books were still packed.
I suppose her story is especially touching for me because I come from a similarly modest background. It's difficult to concentrate on things like papers and schoolwork when what's you're really worried about is where your family will be living in the next few weeks. While most kids are focusing on grades and SAT tests, other less fortunate students find themselves face to face with real world problems like having the electricity cut off or how they will help pay for groceries for the week.
Things will get better I tell her. Sometimes a big part of the job is just being a cheerleader. And sometimes, the best part of the job is when I get to hug it out and whip out the pom poms.
Like 97% of the students in the high school where I student taught, her family is in the lower end of the soci-economic scale of life. And like 87.8% of students in the high school where I student taught, she is very bright and would have no problem getting good grades in high school or being accepted into a great college if only the deck weren't stacked so high against her.
I caught a glimpse of her in the crowded elevator on the way up to the street. I couldn't immediately catch her eye and for a moment I thought she might have been engrossed with the contents of the floor on purpose. I shrugged and figured I'd spare her the awkwardness of a forced hello. But as we were crossing the street she finally saw me. We hugged it out. I asked how life was treating her. She told me she was happy to see me.
We talked about her life as a senior (stressful) and her plans after high school was over (ambiguous). She's been working to save for college, but more often than not her paychecks are being put towards rent and groceries for the family. She was worried about her SAT scores. She had a hard time studying for them because her family had moved twice since the summer and most of her books were still packed.
I suppose her story is especially touching for me because I come from a similarly modest background. It's difficult to concentrate on things like papers and schoolwork when what's you're really worried about is where your family will be living in the next few weeks. While most kids are focusing on grades and SAT tests, other less fortunate students find themselves face to face with real world problems like having the electricity cut off or how they will help pay for groceries for the week.
Things will get better I tell her. Sometimes a big part of the job is just being a cheerleader. And sometimes, the best part of the job is when I get to hug it out and whip out the pom poms.
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1 comment:
This was a poignant story. I cannot even imagine what this student went through and is continuing to go through. She is very lucky to have had a teacher like you that she could relate to. Glad you hugged it out.
It's true, sometimes the best thing a teacher can do is be a cheerleader.
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