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Letter to Father Christmas
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8 thoughts on “Letter to Father Christmas”
Just one more reason to love Benedict C. *Sigh*
One of my former students was shot and killed on Saturday. He would have graduated this spring and I am feeling down about it. I bring this up because he was the very first student I chose to do “circling with balls” with, on my first day and school year really trying to use CI. I will never forget: DeShontae aime jouer au basket. I can picture it so clearly. I was nervous and out of my comfort zone, and he had a smile on his face and played along. He was a good sport and I’m grateful to him. I’ve never stopped personalizing my class since that day, all beginning with that student, who has lost his life way too soon. Just thought I needed to give him a huge thanks somewhere!!
I am sorry to hear this Emeka. I think that his family would love to hear your story. They probably do not realize the positive impact DeShontae had in his short life.
I agree, it might mean something for the family to know this story. I’m sorry to hear about this tragedy, though I’m glad you shared about it.
I’m sorry to hear about this Emeka. Thank you for sharing it with us.
I’d like to share also, and this seems to be the place to do it. A student of mine from two years ago also died very suddenly and recently. He was in my classes for 3 years, and was part of one small group of 5 students that I actually recorded an individual exit interview. I dug up the interview last night and watched it. He was excited in it because his family from Montana was coming into town for his graduation. We talked about Montana geography a bit, the cheesecake and coffee that they were going to serve at his grad party, and the fact that he likes espresso. He was wearing a shirt that read “auto correct can go to he’ll”. I made a DVD last night and plan to take it to his family. His younger brother is a current student and probably the most engaged, cooperative, joyous and motivated learner I’ve had in 10 years. We welcomed him back to school this week. We sang the song Tuyo by Rodrigo Amarante with vigor when he returned. He loved this song and brought it to me a couple months before for our “song of the week” and we all enjoyed it. We agreed that he’d probably not be uncomfortable if we played it and sang along, and so we practiced it for nearly an hour one of the days before he returned, and gave him thanks for sharing such a lovely song with us. I’m so proud of them all. I learn so much from my students and my relationships with them. Teaching has made my heart bigger no doubt.
Thank you Emeka and Jim for sharing these students with us.
Thank you both for sharing these stories, and sincere condolences for the loss of these beloved students.
Emeka and Jim look at what has happened here and we can credit the way we teach for it. You both have been allowed to have participated in, to have been woven into the fabric, of two lives and into their families.That is not something I would think would have happened, that weaving into the fabric, had you guys presented those kids with grammar instruction in your language classes. What we are doing is a human thing, not a robotic thing. We are able to live, those kids were able to live happier lives, in however small a way, because you two have chosen to instruct your students with TPRS. I find that very significant. I know that grammar teachers don’t intend to make it all robotic, but the fact remains that we can choose to teach in the human way, where life is treated for what it is – full of precious moments, or in a way that just bores kids, where the moments aren’t seen as very precious at all. Good on both of you. Good on those kids for playing. Good on all of us. We are trying to actually make our work into something human. God guides us. We move forward. The planet is learning to smile, to appreciate, to value what great potential there is in life. We have been given something really great! I smile in love for those kids you brought some smiles to, and I never even met them. But I kind of did, since I have been trying alongside you to make my life and my teaching (they are so connected!) into something real. See what being a teacher can be? It’s the human potential movement and it isn’t going to slow down no matter how much darkness surrounds us these day. Teaching is a privilege and nothing less. It elevates. And now we have these memories of these kids. And it is such a good thing. For all of us – all of us.