I hold tutoring sessions after school on Tuesdays and Thursdays for my honors students. Some days, tutoring is loud and it seems like nothing is accomplished. But not last Thursday.
Last Thursday I has 17 students stay. SEVENTEEN!! I was shocked. The whole time I thought that it was going to be a disaster, the week had already been crazy enough. And yet, it was the best session to date. Eighth graders were helping sixth graders. Two younger siblings played quietly on computers. Seven other sixth graders worked together and asked when they needed help. I was able to work with a group of three struggling 7th graders for almost an hour. All the students there were able to accomplish something. Whether finally grasping a concept or simply finishing their homework. It's never time wasted.
Thursday helped make my week better. It reminded me why I became a teacher. It showed me that some (most) of my students do care about learning. Thursday showed me that my students know I care about them. So much so that they want to spend an extra hour or two with me every week, even if they are caught up in math.
This is why I teach.
