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Thread: An optimist is never pleasantly surprised...

  1. #1
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    An optimist is never pleasantly surprised...

    Or: I may be lying to myself about how I feel about my students.

    i took over a class from an incredibly popular male teacher. I subbed for him for two classes while he was on vacation, and then Halloween I took over the class. All of the students were sad and disappointed, which I expected. I’d rather have him than me. One of the students didn’t show up on Halloween, and I was told they dropped the class the day the change in teachers was announced.

    i “didn’t take it personally” because while I know the student in passing, I have never taught them except the two sub days. I just figured they had signed up for the teacher not the subject, so be it.

    but yesterday my “dropped” student returned, and I was really happy. Even better - it’s a traditionally male heavy class, and I got a New student yesterday - knowing I was teaching it, a girl picked it up! A girl who barely knows me, but who didn’t sign up for the popular teacher.

    i came home so happy I sent out the missing assignment notices for another class that i’ve been putting off in the hope that the work would magically appear. (It never does, but I hate sending the notices. Not enough to go with dh’s solution of “so just give them an F and move on” though. I want them to do the work.)

  2. #2
    Senior Member razz's Avatar
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    I am optimistic by nature most of the time. I see this situation as simply life happening. Teachers come and go in students' lives and they adapt. I don't take it personally or I try not to. If the class increases, it is gratifying to see and their success is wonderful.
    As Cicero said, “Gratitude is not only the greatest of virtues, but the parent of all the others.”

  3. #3
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    I totally understand. I have had just 2 students each in my crochet classes and some have said they will take it again because there is so much time to get support on personal projects. Still I just get 2 new ones each time. Then I realized how many are rather lonely older women, and they really need this class.

    I also am taking over a program from a very popular director, she showed movies every Friday. I don't show movies so I sometimes am not that popular, but I have also had some nice compliments which is awesome. When I taught hand sewing and yarn arts in my last job it was 50-50 boys and girls which I loved.

    What is really impacting is that our meditation group is closing. I was leading 3 times a month. However there were many factors (how about the primary founder of the national group being accused of rape) so it was time to let it go. Still hard when I put a few years into it. I am looking for the next thing to arise.

  4. #4
    Senior Member Teacher Terry's Avatar
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    I think that’s great CL. In my college class the term paper is worth 50 points which is the same as the midterm or final. Every semester I get a few students that don’t submit one. I always send a notice saying that they have 5 days to submit with a point reduction. Some say by college age I shouldn’t do this but I hate to see them kill their grade right at the end of the course.

  5. #5
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    TT and CL thank you for that. You never know what may be happening in their lives. I know that often students don't say something at first, but a little care can go a long way. My ex had his mother diagnosed with cancer his senior year of college and the caring professors made a big difference.

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