I am not really tooting my own horn, I swear. I just want to update you on the student I've been tutoring. I'll call her Kool. Remember I told you she was failing everything and had about 30 missing assignments? And was in trouble and the school administration said they would expel her if she didn't get her act together? Click here if you need refreshing on Kool.
Her mid term grades come out this week and I did some checking with her teachers and she is PASSING everything. Furthermore, she seems to have an A in science, a B in reading and language each (and reading might be an A), a D in math, and a C in social studies. This is the first time all year she has passed her subjects. This is the first time in her life she will have a formal school document with an A on it.
Readers, she stays after school with me almost every day doing her homework, and has been since we came back from Christmas vacation; no one is making her stay, she just wants to stay to make sure she's ready for the next day! She is all caught up with every missing assignment. And there's more... she's taking notes in class for the first time, without being prompted. She actually has raised her hand and volunteered answers. She studied her vocabulary words at home, on her own and without my prompting, and got a 20 out of 20 on a vocab test. She gets every homework assignment finished, and turned in. She passed her first history test of the year last week with a C, got an A on the science test, and is passing all quizzes in reading and language. She is starting to care, even in her classes where I'm not.
Today she came to school with a new binder, new pencils and a new notebook. The new binder had tabs, which SHE had labeled. Her new school supplies were so smart. She came running down the hall to tell me and show me. She said she told her aunt over the weekend she needed new supplies because "she was getting smart." I told her I was so proud of her and she asked me if I was going to cry. I told her maybe and she just couldn't stop smiling.
And she is smiling in the hallways, She is laughing. She is happy and walks with her head held up. I.AM. SO. PROUD. OF. THIS. GIRL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Today was another huge step... she has 2 study halls (long story, but necessary) and today she got all her homework finished in her study halls. She didn't have to stay after school. We just stood there looking at each other and I told her I was proud of her and to go have fun. I think she would've hugged me if that would've been cool. We bumped knuckles and she went off to do her thing, with a spring in her step.
Amazing.... Kool is just amazing.
Maggie Mae
6 comments:
That is fantastic. Sometimes all a kid needs is for someone else to actually see what they can be and to let them know that it alright to want to be something better. Congrats to both of you.
Yeah you!!! Congratulations!
Maybe the school will considering you as a regualr teacher next year.
I am also glad that her Aunt bought her new supplies. Shows she believes in her too.
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That's awesome! I know the feeling of finally getting through to a student. It makes it all worth it.
Curley- on behalf of us both, thanks. I'm so proud of her. I'm so proud i wish i had another word for proud!
Sam/P- i was astounded when she told me what he aunt did, but thrilled since it meant reinforcement from home, which hasn't been there before.
And I was told by an 8th grade teacher that she and several other 8th grade teachers said good things about me to the head principal so maybe it could give me a permanent job next year!
Cheryl- it is awesome, isn't it? And working with her after school is the best part of my day!
I never understood the teachers who only wanted to teach the "smart" and "good" kids. It's students like Kool who make it all worthwhile.
Give her a high five from a short English teacher in Georgia whom she's never met, okay?
That is so awesome! I am so proud of Kool! I hope this is the start of a lifelong love of learning for her.
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