My students are amazing. I've known that for a while, but every day there seems to be something that reminds me of their incredible gifts and abilities. I should rephrase that: my students are amazing, but they still struggle. I teach math, and math is one of those subjects that most kids have a love-hate relationship with. Add being an English Language Learner to the mix of attitudes towards math, then a few story problems and a question involved US currency or measurement, and things get tough. As a result, I often have students that pop into my room for extra help.
This afternoon, two of my most challenging and yet most loveable/loved students came in after school to do their homework so that I was close by if/when they needed some extra help. Let's call them Suzy and Jack. Suzy and Jack are in different grades and sat on extreme opposite corners of the room, but were singing/humming along to the Christmas songs I had playing as they worked and actually seemed to enjoy their math-filled afternoon. They asked their questions and got their homework done, both frustrated by the problems that they struggled with. I, as I try to always do, told them they were smart and not to let it bother them...the problems that grieve them aren't everything.
As the bell for the late bus rang and they began to pack up, Suzy asked Jack if he was in the intensive ELL program at our school. Jack told her that he was and that learning English was soooo hard. (We do love the use of soooooo at our school!) Suzy asked him what he though of English as his second language, and Jack non-nonchalantly replied, "Not my second....third."
Three language at the age of 13. Three. This kid is one that I have struggled with motivating this year, often more focused on the conversations he could be having more than anything else. Normal for middle school. But those conversations are in his third language.
He asked me how many languages I spoke. "Fluently? Just one." Telling him that he was smart earlier was most definitely an understatement. (BTW, he laughed when I said just one and reminded me that we are all good at different things...aiy yai yai!)
"No, Miss Teusink. I'm not a genius. My father is. He speaks five."
I'm humbled by the caliber of student that I have the opportunity to teach. Humbled and honored. If you ever want to bask in the presence of greatness sometime, come and sit in my classroom and get to know my students. They will amaze you, I'm sure, as they amaze me more and more each day!
This afternoon, two of my most challenging and yet most loveable/loved students came in after school to do their homework so that I was close by if/when they needed some extra help. Let's call them Suzy and Jack. Suzy and Jack are in different grades and sat on extreme opposite corners of the room, but were singing/humming along to the Christmas songs I had playing as they worked and actually seemed to enjoy their math-filled afternoon. They asked their questions and got their homework done, both frustrated by the problems that they struggled with. I, as I try to always do, told them they were smart and not to let it bother them...the problems that grieve them aren't everything.
As the bell for the late bus rang and they began to pack up, Suzy asked Jack if he was in the intensive ELL program at our school. Jack told her that he was and that learning English was soooo hard. (We do love the use of soooooo at our school!) Suzy asked him what he though of English as his second language, and Jack non-nonchalantly replied, "Not my second....third."
Three language at the age of 13. Three. This kid is one that I have struggled with motivating this year, often more focused on the conversations he could be having more than anything else. Normal for middle school. But those conversations are in his third language.
He asked me how many languages I spoke. "Fluently? Just one." Telling him that he was smart earlier was most definitely an understatement. (BTW, he laughed when I said just one and reminded me that we are all good at different things...aiy yai yai!)
"No, Miss Teusink. I'm not a genius. My father is. He speaks five."
I'm humbled by the caliber of student that I have the opportunity to teach. Humbled and honored. If you ever want to bask in the presence of greatness sometime, come and sit in my classroom and get to know my students. They will amaze you, I'm sure, as they amaze me more and more each day!
Wow, that is incredible! (And crazy! And incredible!) I feel like I ought to be working WAY harder on Russian, and reviewing French...and practicing Amharic. Yikes :-).
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