J's poem

 I thank you, my teacher, my friend, that helps me improve my skills.

As I write with this pencil in my hand, the time you give to me is important.

So I am very happy to learn to brighten my future. 

I know it is good for me and never foolish to reach my goals.

Success turns gold.

So my ears hear as you speak to learn.

If I don't understand what you are trying to teach me, I will raise my arm.

Ms. Mary, I am very happy to learn.

Thank you for the time that I earn.

This is J's poem.  His career goal is to be a writer.  The original draft was written as one long sentence in one solid paragraph with many misspellings.  He, too, was someone I was able to give individual time last week with lowered attendance.  He cannot do math at all and his writing is pretty undisciplined.  But he wants to do well so badly.  How can I give up on him?  

Recognizing someone's humanity

Last week I had a lesson in recognizing the humanity in all of us.  We have a new student who looks like a homeless person.  He is disheveled, scarred from burns, and very gruff.   When I have asked him to join in group work, he put me off in a very cross way, saying that he can't switch from one thing to another like that.  I decided to let him do his own thing--in a sense, giving up on him.  His skills are very low and he had been coming in late and leaving early.

Thursday we had just four students.  I spent a lot more time with each one and he responded to that attention.  Before he left he told me he had been thinking about his telling me he wouldn't do the work I suggested for the group and he apologized in his own way.  He began to tell me more about his life than I really wanted to know--his common law wife who was infertile, his wanting children, his best friend in jail, etc.  I felt ashamed of my own unwillingness to recognize the vulnerability in him.  After all the experience I have had in this job, I should know better.

Today he called the secretary of the adult ed department to leave a message for me that he needed to be excused for his absence.  Our own phones are not working properly and he knew I was not home to receive his call.  I appreciated his taking that responsibility.