Chris

I have worked with an 8th grade student named Chris since October. In the beginning he was 100% defiant, and unwilling to work with me. It has taken me months to have him come around. I enjoy every Monday and Wednesday when we get the chance to hang out and work together. He is very, very far behind in most of his school work. So for the past couple of months we have worked fairly hard on increasing his organizational skills, and his being on top of class assignments. It seemed to have been working well.

Today I found out he has not been to school in almost two weeks. I spoke with one of his teachers as to whether or not he was at school today. She said that he most likely was not and that he "probably has decided to give up because he is so far behind. He knows his situation." It is moments and times like this where my heart literally breaks.

Why is it that this 8th grade student is so far behind? Why does it seem that even his teacher has given up on him? What is holding him back from fulfulling the potential I know he has because I have seen it in our one on one work? Right now I am somewhere between teary-eyed and extremely heated. I want nothing more right now than for Chris to show up to school on Wednesday and work. I want to see him gradute from 8th grade. I want to see him succeed.

On a side note. I have 66 days until I leave Seattle and begin my journey to New York City where I will be a special ed teacher in America's largest school district. I am nervous. I am scared. I am confused. I am excited.

NYC Countdown: 66 days


This was a pretty loaded post...something that was on my mind all day. Hopefully the rest won't be so heavy hearted.