Success!

As a teacher, there are times when I wonder if what I'm doing actually makes a difference. I wonder if my students are actually listening to me or if what they're hearing is akin the teacher in the Charlie Brown Specials "Wahwahwahwah...wahwahwahwahwah..."

Well, over the past little while, I've gotten some quick glimpses of success:

-I had a student return to my middle school a little while ago to tell me that myself and another teacher have inspired her to do well in high school...all because I told her that I believed in her; that I knew for a fact that she was too smart to go down a path that would lead her no where. I'm not sure if anyone ever told her that before and then actually expected her to do the work.

-I had a student doing horribly. Just awful all of second quarter. Second quarter is when my beginner French students start going downhill grade wise. First quarter is all flowers and butterflies because it's fairly easy. Quarter two gets TOUGH. After very rough time during the first half of second quarter, a had a discussion with two of my students. I dared them to review every night for just 10 minutes. I told them they could review whenever they had 10 minutes. In the car, on the bus, during commericals, while they were waiting on an IM, while playing video games (when their opponant was playing) etc. and I would guarantee them better grades. Well, they did just that and have gone from Ds to Bs and even As. Just 10 minutes. Amazing!!! :D

-Today I was working with my class on answering questions on our new unit them. They have now learned enough where they "get" the grammar rules without me having to explicitly teach them. I was asking them about their classes and then about their teachers. They started to implictly understand when to use the word "ma" (my) in their sentences after having heard it a few times in sample answers. It just "flowed". If you weren't there, it's bit tough to describe how AWESOME it is to hear your kids USE language without having to THINK about it...to a point where it was comfortable, easy and attainable for them. It feels like the first time your toddler uses the correct past tense of an irregular verb. They just "get it".

Success. Sweet, elusive success. This is why I do what I do.