We're almost six weeks into the first semester, and today I got a comment from a student that makes it all worth it. The bell rang at the end of the day, and as my eighth period class filed out of the room I saw a former student of mine in the hallway who ran up to me, a giant grin on her face...
Grace: Hi Ms. Stutelberg!
Me: Hi Grace! How's it going this year? I haven't seen you!
Grace: You know how you recommended me for Epstein's class [AP Lit.]? Well, I've been really stressed about it because everyone else had honors English last year and I didn't.
Me: Well, is it going okay? Are you struggling?
Grace: I don't think so...I just had this mental block, like I wasn't as smart as all the other kids.
Me: Oh Grace, I'm sorr--
Grace: No! But today was the best day! Remember when we read "Valediction: Forbidding Mourning" last year. You know, by that John Donne guy?
Me: Of course I remember, John Donne is one of my favorites.
Grace: Well, today in class I was the only one who had ever read it, and I got to explain the compass part to the class and I kept thinking in my head, "Ms. Stutelberg is the other leg of my compass right now! I can always come back to her!"
Me: Grace, that's wonderful. I can't believe you remembered the poem so well!
Grace: How could I forget all that sexual math imagery! I never thought about my calculator the same way again!
Well...even if it was the "erect" compass that kept her reading, it felt good to know that she gained confidence in AP Lit. and felt smart today. And I'm the other leg of her compass...how great is that?!?
2 comments:
I'm pretty much a random blog hopper (clicked your link from your brother's site). I really admire you for being a good teacher and for really caring about both your subject and your students. I admire anyone who does their job well, no matter what that job is. Teaching is something special though. I would have loved to be in your english class in high school!
Favorite teacher, mmm...
One of my best teachers was Nancy English, our 5th grade "every subject" teacher.
She was kind of stern, and kept her flyaway white hair together in a rubber band (ouch!) every day, always wearing dark colors...but she had a keen mind and clearly a love of learning.
The other kids probably thought she was sort of mean, but she did get us going. She somehow balanced it... and really loved & supported me as a shy little mouse of a student that I was then.
I remmeber one time I was practically aching to draw this snake sculpture someone had brought in, and she somehow intuited this... I'd run my mind over the curves so many times that it was an ease to draw. Just a big great knot of snake.
Anyhow - to intuit that, and really create a supportive atmosphere for your students... she was great. Everyone respected her extremely, if they didn't love her.
Nancy English died two years later from lung cancer, and I was somewhat heartbroken when I found out - but I always remmember her, and think of the days spent, looking out the window & reading, in her 5th grade classroom.
Much love to awesome teachers like yrself! :-)
cheers.
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