Tuesday, January 12, 2010

Lighting the Fire

I have a student who has, for weeks, had trouble getting his work in.  I know he has the potential for keeping up, because he did so for the first month of school.  Around November, though, he started sliding, and as hard as I've tried to keep him from hitting bottom, he keeps slipping out of my grasp.  I learned a few weeks back that Robert's (single) dad had moved a few hours away.  (He had to, to take a job as a logger.)  Robert's living with his grandma, and while his dad is keeping tabs on his grades via the Internet, he's not at home anymore to help.  Robert's attitude has progressively declined; he's become sullen and a little bitter.  It's as though he is a little ember in a fireplace, capable of bursting into flame at any moment.

About a month ago, Robert started wrestling practice, and this past weekend was his first scheduled match.  It was made clear to him that failing grades would result in his being unable to wrestle in matches; he would have to sit on the sidelines if he didn't get his Language Arts grade up.  I figured that would be the motivation to get him going. Unfortunately, he had fallen so far behind that he seemed paralyzed to do anything about it. Night after night, I would make detailed notes in his agenda, telling his family what he had left to do, and day after day, he would come in without it even started. 

My heart was sinking, because we (his teachers) all know that if anyone needs to wrestle (to get out some of that pent-up anger), it's Robert.  On the surface, he is calm, generally cooperative and respectful, but every now and then, I see a darkness in his eyes, and he can be uncooperative (though in a passive way).  He looks at me sometimes like he wishes I would just disappear, get off his back. 

Last week, as the "F-list cut-off approached, I called home to remind them, and Robert's grandma told me that his dad had decided that Robert would have to quit wrestling; they were all just tired of fighting with him about the missing work.  It was just too hard for her to keep fighting with Robert, especially without his dad here for backup.  I talked them into giving it one more day; we'd try to help him (stopping short of doing the work for him), but I really, really wanted to see him get a taste of what it felt to be on the mat in a match. If he could at least make it to his first meet, I had high hopes that it would inspire him to keep his grades up. 

By the skin of his teeth, he made the grade.

Today, Robert came into class and announced, "Did you hear the news?  I took First Place." He was positively beaming. Our little, angry ember had burst into flames on the mat, beating all three of his opponents in his weight class and winning the event.

From here on out, I'm not going to knock myself out; no more working harder than Robert to make sure he's passing.  I'm not sure, but I'm hoping like crazy that that the taste of victory will be enough to carry him through.  Let's keep our fingers crossed!

22 comments:

  1. That is a great story I hope Robert's victory carries him. You are a saint to care so much!

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  2. oh goodness, it's too soon for the family to give up.

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  3. And that's just ONE of your students.....

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  4. Our country would be in a much better place if all teachers were like you. Amazing. Thank you

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  5. Your words here resonated with me:

    "I'm not going to knock myself out; no more working harder than Robert to make sure he's passing."

    That is a very timely statement I needed to hear this morning.

    Thank you.

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  6. Yay for you and yay for Robert! Both of you, keep up the good work!

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  7. man I wish I had a teacher like you when I was having trouble. You are so inspiring.

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  8. or he continues to do the minimal amount of work to barely pass and still wrestle?

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  9. He's fortunate to have you and other good teachers on his side- still wrestling for him, even when his family was ready to give up.

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  10. The world need more teachers like you who will not give up on the Roberts of the world. Ya' go Robert!

    God bless you dear teacher for seein' the spark!

    Have a fantastic day!

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  11. What a great uplifting story! I know that my kids were able to work a lot of frustration out in karate. They came home happier, healthier and very tired.

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  12. You sounds like an awesome teacher! Your students are blessed!

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  13. Being a teacher is supposed to be about participating with the parents in the education of their children. What you did, is above and beyond. Well done you. I hope he lives up to the hope and expectations now. There are, after all, more than just him for you to teach.

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  14. This is WONDERFUL! Our grandson just started wrestling and LOVES it! I hope it will motivate Robert to keep his grades up.

    I'll say it again, Barb, you are a blessing to the students you teach. You and Robert are both in my prayers today. :)

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  15. Sounds like you are doing a wonderful job with that young man. I wish him the best with his schoolwork and in wrestling.

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  16. Hey, it takes a village, right? Fortunately, Robert has really great teacherS who make it quite possible to do well; he's just not putting his all into his work.

    I have to say, too, that if did dad pulled wrestling, I wouldn't have blamed him a bit; he's shown no appreciation whatsoever for the support everyone is giving him, and he's giving his grandma the runaround. Thursday is the grade cut-off day. I'll keep you posted.

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  17. You have a knack for knowing how to handle things. "One more day" did the trick. And as a former wrestler myself, I know the pride he felt.

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  18. Yea for Robert. You are such a good teacher to really care enough about your students to give them the individual attention and encouragement they need.

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  19. My husband has some students like that, too -- and he HAS had to put them on the failing list (and MAN have those parents been mad, regardless of the warnings received upfront). Fingers crossed this does it for him!

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  20. You are a wonderful teacher. The kind I was always so thankful for when my kids had one like you. Well done, Mrs4444!

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  21. You really sound like a great teacher!

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