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Tenisha scared the crap out of me when I first actually noticed her in my remedial math class last term. She was taking the first exam and had written 8 + 7 = 12 and she seemed clueless when I told her to check for an arithmetic mistake in the problem she was doing. I was quite surprised when I marked the exam and saw she did not do as bad as I expected from our initial encounter.
As the term wore on, I made it a point to get to know Tenisha better and I discovered that she was a real math phobic. Her home works and her class works were impeccable but somehow, she while passing all her exams, she did not do very well on them.
In order to pass and move on, students need a 75 average in the class, a minimum grade of 55 on a uniform final and a passing score on a computer generated exit exam. Midyear I felt she was not ready. I was afraid another failing grade would be a major set back for her but I did not feel that way when the term ended. (She got an 87 on the final.) I was surprised when I got an e-mail from her last week telling me she had failed the exit exam but was going to retake it after attending the mandatory week long workshop. I immediately made arrangements to meet her the day before the exam so I could answer any of her questions and boost her ego.
Well, I just got an e-mail from Tenisha. SHE PASSED! It just so happens I am teaching the course she needs this semesters. I already gave her an over tally sheet and am looking forward to having her as a student this term.
Students like Tenisha keep me going.
As the term wore on, I made it a point to get to know Tenisha better and I discovered that she was a real math phobic. Her home works and her class works were impeccable but somehow, she while passing all her exams, she did not do very well on them.
In order to pass and move on, students need a 75 average in the class, a minimum grade of 55 on a uniform final and a passing score on a computer generated exit exam. Midyear I felt she was not ready. I was afraid another failing grade would be a major set back for her but I did not feel that way when the term ended. (She got an 87 on the final.) I was surprised when I got an e-mail from her last week telling me she had failed the exit exam but was going to retake it after attending the mandatory week long workshop. I immediately made arrangements to meet her the day before the exam so I could answer any of her questions and boost her ego.
Well, I just got an e-mail from Tenisha. SHE PASSED! It just so happens I am teaching the course she needs this semesters. I already gave her an over tally sheet and am looking forward to having her as a student this term.
Students like Tenisha keep me going.
(Picture is the road leading down the crater on the way to Eilat. This was a beautiful but scary trip.)
3 comments:
Wow! I love stories like this. There is nothing more satisfying that seeing improvement and growth in students. And that's not always measured on a one big-stakes test.
And when you get that student who comes to you hating school and then turns around, that's success!!
Tenisha didn't hate school or math. She was just fearful of the subject.
I should have explained that I was talking about my experiences in the elementary school. But I have also turned around kids on certain subjects too and all these experiences are rewarding.
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