| General Fiction posted February 28, 2024 | Chapters: |
-Prologue- 1... 
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An invitation to tell your story.
A chapter in the book I-Teach
Prologue
by davisr (Rhonda)
Hello fellow teachers, students and mildly interested by-standers.
Welcome to my world... our world.
I know there are many of you in FanStoria with stories to tell, or opinnions to express, about teaching, whether as a teacher or student.
I've read your work and reviews and know you have many and varied experiences. Some tales are funny, others sad, and many bittersweet.
I wanted to provide a book where we can pass on our legacies. Use any form you would like. I'm going to start with prose.
As I looked back on my 35-year history of teaching, I sought the one special story that would stand out to share.
I considered the time one of my chemistry students won second place at the International Science Fair (entirely his own doings, he discovered a theorem), the time I helped the first girl get into Anapolis, the time one of my students won a Miss Texas pageant, and the time my football team won the State Championship. Many more such exciting events came rushing to mind, okay, creeping, I'm getting "on up there".
I even thought about the small victories, like when one of my Special Ed students passed the science state exam on her first effort (deep sigh of relief from me), the time a child wrote me a birthday card when I was feeling old, and when a little girl hugged me and said it was "okay" for hurting her 6th grade feelings when I was accustomed to dealing with high school kids. There were many more such events. If you've ever taught anyone, you can relate.
Beyond it all, though, was one very challenging situation I faced. It surrounded a 10th grade, Gifted and Talented (GT) student who told me on the first day of class he hated school, hated everyone in the school, and hated me. The students were collectively terrified of him. So was I.
That year I created a program I called, Corporate Chemistry. It was a method of engaging students to use their own talents and create a business in chemistry to run. They would earn points I called Chemistry Coins (CC's) in various ways, including (and more importantly) mastering chemistry concepts. I did it as a way to get the most out of gifted kids who were completely bored with traditional curriculum.
I wrote about it on this site before. The point of bringing it up now, is that this, would be school shooter, child created a computer program allowing the other groups to keep track of their progress in the program, and to share their accomplishments and products with others. He "sold" the program to them for CC's. With his success, he thrust his group to the number one spot out of all my classes and won an award for the semester.
Several weeks later, his family moved and took him with them. On his last day in class, he cried. So did the other kids... so did I. He had become an integral part of his group and our class. Did I save him from a life of very smart crime? I can't answer that, but I do know I made a difference in his life, and I do know he made a difference in mine. He validated my program and my calling. He made me feel how a person can feel so alienated from his peer group that he hates, and then so accepted he learns to love.
His story is my most poignant memory. What is yours?
Hello fellow teachers, students and mildly interested by-standers.
Welcome to my world... our world.
I know there are many of you in FanStoria with stories to tell, or opinnions to express, about teaching, whether as a teacher or student.
I've read your work and reviews and know you have many and varied experiences. Some tales are funny, others sad, and many bittersweet.
I wanted to provide a book where we can pass on our legacies. Use any form you would like. I'm going to start with prose.
As I looked back on my 35-year history of teaching, I sought the one special story that would stand out to share.
I considered the time one of my chemistry students won second place at the International Science Fair (entirely his own doings, he discovered a theorem), the time I helped the first girl get into Anapolis, the time one of my students won a Miss Texas pageant, and the time my football team won the State Championship. Many more such exciting events came rushing to mind, okay, creeping, I'm getting "on up there".
I even thought about the small victories, like when one of my Special Ed students passed the science state exam on her first effort (deep sigh of relief from me), the time a child wrote me a birthday card when I was feeling old, and when a little girl hugged me and said it was "okay" for hurting her 6th grade feelings when I was accustomed to dealing with high school kids. There were many more such events. If you've ever taught anyone, you can relate.
Beyond it all, though, was one very challenging situation I faced. It surrounded a 10th grade, Gifted and Talented (GT) student who told me on the first day of class he hated school, hated everyone in the school, and hated me. The students were collectively terrified of him. So was I.
That year I created a program I called, Corporate Chemistry. It was a method of engaging students to use their own talents and create a business in chemistry to run. They would earn points I called Chemistry Coins (CC's) in various ways, including (and more importantly) mastering chemistry concepts. I did it as a way to get the most out of gifted kids who were completely bored with traditional curriculum.
I wrote about it on this site before. The point of bringing it up now, is that this, would be school shooter, child created a computer program allowing the other groups to keep track of their progress in the program, and to share their accomplishments and products with others. He "sold" the program to them for CC's. With his success, he thrust his group to the number one spot out of all my classes and won an award for the semester.
Several weeks later, his family moved and took him with them. On his last day in class, he cried. So did the other kids... so did I. He had become an integral part of his group and our class. Did I save him from a life of very smart crime? I can't answer that, but I do know I made a difference in his life, and I do know he made a difference in mine. He validated my program and my calling. He made me feel how a person can feel so alienated from his peer group that he hates, and then so accepted he learns to love.
His story is my most poignant memory. What is yours?
 Recognized |
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A special thanks for the artwork, Learning by VMarguarite on FanArtReview.
There are a lot of teachers on this site who have stories to tell.
There are even more students who have had those teachers they would like to talk about, or events that happened to them as students. This is your space.
Please add in your own stories or poems about your experiences.
Pays
one point
and 2 member cents. There are a lot of teachers on this site who have stories to tell.
There are even more students who have had those teachers they would like to talk about, or events that happened to them as students. This is your space.
Please add in your own stories or poems about your experiences.
Artwork by VMarguarite at FanArtReview.com
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