I was a bad student and this experience didn’t change that as much as I wish it did but it was one of the first times I felt smart about school so it feels worth writing about. Let me say that again I was a bad student. I wasn’t rude to teachers, I didn’t skip class, or was intentionally disruptive but I was still a horrible student. I came to class everyday on time, sat as close to the front as possible, took my books out, pen out and stared into to space in class. I didn’t do my homework and didn’t always finish school work either. I had major problems focusing, and major problems with anxiety and at one point depression as well. Everyday felt pointless, and paying attention to the teacher felt like looking through thick fog.
Sophomore year global, regents class, honors class because I was in the law house. Room 200 or 300 something. Same story as always, all year in class physically but never mentally. I was prepared to get a horrible grade on the regent when a few weeks before the exam my teacher Mr. Cello announced he was giving tutoring after school in that room on wednesdays. Took time away from wrestling but it felt 100% worth it because I didn’t retain a single piece of information from class.
To explain the way he taught the tutoring session was he taught it like a youtube crash course, curses and everything. I can’t explain it but in those sessions it felt like not only was the fog gone but like it was the sunniest warmest day to exist. I didn’t just focus I would hyper focus. The class was almost empty and I would just absorb every little piece of information he gave on history. Effortlessly, each topic over simplified and yet all the important parts highlighted in the most palatable way. The way classes should really be taught if you ask me.
I had a 504 form so I had extra time and my anxiety didn’t let me leave earlier then the 5 and half hour mark. Leaving that exam I remember feeling unsure like I didn’t do all that well. A week goes by, I got my exam results back, the highest grade I ever got on a regent, a 96. I didn’t study for a minute for this exam other than the tutoring sessions. They felt like the least I could do but in the end they meant everything. I remember the teacher congratulating me on the grade. He honestly looked surprised which both made me feel happy and embarrassed for some reason, but it gave me a bit of a confidence boost for school which I desperately needed.
What a great story! I love those kinds of teachers!
I think you can expand on this easily to get it to 1000 words. One thing you just mentioned was wrestling — what?! Was this what you did instead of paying attention in class? What was that like? What impact did it have on your classes? How did you start doing that? Or have I totally mis-read it — which is always possible :-D.
Here’s another suggestion. You said at the end that he was as surprised as you were. Why? How much interaction had you had with him before the tutoring? What made you actually go to tutoring and not just blow it off? Any pressure from home? Or just from yourself? Or from him? In other words, I think there’s more to the journey here and adding it would not only get you to the 1000 words; it would also make the story have more depth and meaning. And it’s good already!