The French Sec 4s - the ones that struggle the most - did a retest on the periodic table and unit conversion - both the teacher and I were helping them quite a bit. From the looks of it, I hope that everyone got at least 60%. It's unusual that I'd help students so much during a test, pointing out formulas and telling them when they are right or if they should try again, but these kids are special. They haven't been doing well and they are grade levels behind. They have no confidence in their own ability and need far more encouragement and handholding than other students I've ever worked with. They don't ask for help. Some of them don't know how to. Some of them don't believe they deserve help.
It's a different place up here. The same rules don't work and you have to understand that.
And guess what?
When they saw that both N. and I were willing to help them and encourage them, they worked. And they worked harder than they normally do. They knew what they were doing. But they didn't know that they knew what they were doing until we gave them praise. By the end of the hour, I was running from one desk to the next, having my name called out by multiple kids, being asked if I could check on what they were doing. I worked up doing a sweat, moving from one table, getting up and crouching down to talk to them at eye level.
I'm hoping that this would be a turning point for some. Maybe. Maybe not. I won't be around in Waswanipi to see how they turn out but I can only hope that in the next week or so, I can continue to motivate them to believe in themselves.
As a bit of a reward and in the spirit of the Quebecois, I decided to have vegan poutine for dinner.
wow what a great day, and vegan poutine to boot! +1 for motivating the yunguns. hope the other teachs were there to witness. I wonder if a vegan pouine shop would fly up there.
ReplyDeleteGood to hear that you have a productive day!
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