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Describe a recent time when you’ve been discouraged with a student’s progress. Have you witnessed a change in the student’s life, or are you still waiting for that change to occur?
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I had a student who cared about his grade more than anything else, leading to constant emotional breakdowns. He wanted to ensure his grade would maintain an A throughout the year. He would ask for details on how to prepare for assessments. He asked if the review test questions would be the same as the actual exams, and so on. Teachers, including myself, felt he needed guidance, as earning a good grade wasn’t the only thing that mattered in his life. This concern was noticed by teachers and administrators alike, but I did not know how to help him. He approached me and shared that he put great effort into all his work. He constantly emphasized the importance of earning As to him and his parents. I understand that it should be positive that students care about their grades, but he asked for exceptions to redo assignments and tests constantly. There was a boundary but he kept on getting across. These conversations often left teachers feeling exhausted, as we felt incapable of steering him in the right direction. Though I could not change him, I acknowledged my limitations and learned not to focus on his shortcomings. Ultimately, he simply wanted to excel academically, which I understand. I will continue praying for him and our relationship in the coming year, trusting that God’s timing will pave the way for the student and teachers. I recognize that I do not have the power to change others, but living in Christ sustains me. I believe God’s grace is sufficient, and his power is enough. He can and will overcome our weakness (2 Corinthians 12:9-10).
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I was initially discouraged by a student’s work, but this student had family issues at home. As the year went on, his work improved and I was really delighted to see the change. I’m not sure what happened, but I was grateful he was able to improve his grade and do well.
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From this past school year, one particular student comes to mind. He struggled with consistently completing work and participating in course. His grades reflected his effort and he always did the bare minimum to pass courses. While he had supportive adults in his life, his home life was not positive. Some circumstances were less than ideal. As a staff, we prayed over him and his family. And I still continue to pray for this student and his family.
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I taught a student who seemed to “have the world by a string” – popular, pretty, charismatic and smart and was a student that I hadn’t been able to establish a good connection with as she was “too cool” for me. After returning several assessments during a semester she would come and tell me that I marked something incorrectly on her test and although I do make grading errors it felt like this was happening a lot and was always for this one student. On the next assessment I took photos of her paper and when she approached me to let me know I made and error I became very discouraged knowing she was not being truthful and had been changing her answers. After showing her the photos she insisted that she did not change the answers and after a few minutes passed she admitted she must have. She broke down and was sobbing uncontrollably and I took that opportunity to share biblical truths. From that day forward, she worked harder than I ever had seen her work but more importantly went out of her way to connect with me.
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As a teacher, it is hard to see students struggle. Obviously, we don’t want them to fail or to not succeed. For me specifically, it is hard to see students continuing to struggle when you know they are capable. Sometimes, being an educator can be very humbling. I have had a student for the last couple of years that has struggled. The hard part is that I know that he was struggling because of factors outside of the classroom. When a student has a lot going on at home or with friends they struggle mentally in the classroom. There are times where we can help facilitate that and speak into them, and there are times where despite how much we try to help and mentor, it doesn’t get better. There is always God’s part, our part, and the student’s part.