Thursday, May 18, 2017

Wasn't Slow

The first time I saw Val, I thought he was one difficult student to handle. He seemed.. slow. He kept on forgetting his lessons, his books, his schedules and every time his mom brings him to the center, she always has something unpleasant to say about her son. And when you hear her, it seems like Val is the most hopelessly stupid person in the whole wide world.
I was right. He was difficult to handle. For one, he doesn’t want to learn. He was one lazy boy who doesn’t care whether he learns or not. Second, he always acts stupid, probably hoping we would just give up on him and send him home. Finally, he seems to be using the center to rebel against his mother. He wouldn’t attend the session because when his mother calls, she would be extremely furious when she finds out he ditched a session.
So, when his mother presented a letter from the principal with instructions to focus on his English subject, I felt doomed. But whether I like it or not,  I had to do my job, no, not to teach him, but to let him like to learn. So, knowing his attitude towards studies, I started with the basic, and I mean, lessons that he already took and that may seem easy for him to answer. As customary, I was lavish with praises for correct answers and infinitely patient with incorrect answers.
He seemed to like it. That is.. he liked to be credited for doing well and being shown patience for things he couldn’t do that well. He started coming regularly and on time. Well, that was a change. Then, we started to talk like old friends, and I learned that his mom nags him every single day of his life and finds it a pleasant habit to rant at him even about things that are beyond him.
I haven’t noticed that he was actually improving until he showed me a test paper with only five incorrect answers. Well, THAT’s a major change. Then, I realized he wasn’t slow at all. He is actually good and he still has much room for improvement. And I was happy for him.
I learned, though, that he stopped attending sessions since I resigned. Well, I want to think he doesn’t need a tutor anymore, otherwise, I would feel a little guilty for turning my back on him.. :(
For Val, 'study as hard as you used to do. I know you can do it even without me. Make me and yourself proud :D'
*not real name

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