Jessy
I think one of the hardest things about being a teacher, at least in my extremely limited experience, is letting students go. There are some students I wish I could avoid for the rest of their school days, and there are some (msot of them, actually) that I honestly look forward to seeing every day.
Jessy is one of these students.
Jessy was new to SPH this year, just like me. She was a new 10th grader whose English was painfully low. She struggled from the very beginning in my class, yet she always came in the door with a smile on her face and a cheerful, "Hi, ma'am!" She was one of Travis's favorites, too, and was in his homeroom and drama class. She'd often stay after school, talking to Travis about all of her teenage woes-boyfriend drama, friend angst, the ups and downs of living in the boarding house.
When some of the 10th grade classes were split into ESL and regular English, Jessy was in my ESL class. She was frustrated. She cried because her two close friends were in the other class, and she was afraid she was dumb or that she was a disappointment. Jessy was neither. What Jessy is is an example that hard work truly does pay off. She's the top student in my ESL class for two reasons-she has worked incredibly hard to improve her English and she's just a smart kid. She realizes some subjects don't come easily to her, but while this may initially dampen her spirits, she never gives up.
Today is Jessy's last day at SPH. She is transferring to an international school in her hometown of Bandung, about a three-hour drive from here. She'll do brilliantly, I know it, because of her work ethic and intelligence. I'll miss her for those reasons, but also because she was truly a joy to have in class. Jessy is one of those students that makes my job worth it. I've seen her grow, I've seen her tackle her difficulties and overcome them. She doesn't know it, but there have been days when her bright smile and her "hi, ma'am!" were one of the few things that kept my day from being completely horrible.
That's one of the hardest things I've discovered about teaching. Letting them go. I will miss Jessy, but she will be one of the students I never forget. I wish her God's richest blessings on everything she does, and I know she will go far.
Jessy is one of these students.
Jessy was new to SPH this year, just like me. She was a new 10th grader whose English was painfully low. She struggled from the very beginning in my class, yet she always came in the door with a smile on her face and a cheerful, "Hi, ma'am!" She was one of Travis's favorites, too, and was in his homeroom and drama class. She'd often stay after school, talking to Travis about all of her teenage woes-boyfriend drama, friend angst, the ups and downs of living in the boarding house.
When some of the 10th grade classes were split into ESL and regular English, Jessy was in my ESL class. She was frustrated. She cried because her two close friends were in the other class, and she was afraid she was dumb or that she was a disappointment. Jessy was neither. What Jessy is is an example that hard work truly does pay off. She's the top student in my ESL class for two reasons-she has worked incredibly hard to improve her English and she's just a smart kid. She realizes some subjects don't come easily to her, but while this may initially dampen her spirits, she never gives up.
Today is Jessy's last day at SPH. She is transferring to an international school in her hometown of Bandung, about a three-hour drive from here. She'll do brilliantly, I know it, because of her work ethic and intelligence. I'll miss her for those reasons, but also because she was truly a joy to have in class. Jessy is one of those students that makes my job worth it. I've seen her grow, I've seen her tackle her difficulties and overcome them. She doesn't know it, but there have been days when her bright smile and her "hi, ma'am!" were one of the few things that kept my day from being completely horrible.
That's one of the hardest things I've discovered about teaching. Letting them go. I will miss Jessy, but she will be one of the students I never forget. I wish her God's richest blessings on everything she does, and I know she will go far.
posted by Erin @ 12:59 AM
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