Posts under the “Humble Rewards” theme run as a thread throughout the ages of Inventio because over the course of almost 44 years in this profession of teaching and learning, I’m ever amazed and gratified when I have encounters with students that remind me of the sobering reality that our work truly touches eternity. And so I had one of those moments last week. A young lady in my 2:00 TTh class had done good work all semester long. I noticed after her last major essay a few weeks ago that her average was holding just above the A/B threshold, so as she paused on the way out of class last week, I tossed her a word of encouragement, stating, “Hey, I noticed you’re hanging on to an A average!”
She paused, rolled her eyes, and let out a slight moan. “Yeah,” she added, “I don’t know if that’s going to hold up with this research paper that’s due tonight. This is the first essay this semester that’s just stumped me. I don’t feel like I know what I’m doing.”
The final draft of the essay was due in just about nine hours, and seeing her discouragement, I made a suggestion: “Let’s take a look at your draft. Maybe I can help you fix it up before bed time.”
So I opened her latest draft posted in the peer review forum and took a look with her standing by. As I skimmed the pages of her essay, I was thinking to myself, “Yikes! This one really is eating her lunch!” She wasn’t exaggerating when she said she was struggling. Anyway, I kept her there several moments, showing her how she could fix one or two of the problem spots. After she left, I thought, “No way she’s going to straighten out those problems in the next few hours.” I was worried for her, because if the final draft she turned in resembled the one I just read, her A average was in jeopardy!
A few days later, I got to her section for grading. As I came to her draft in the queue, I held my breath as I clicked on the link, even wincing under my breath as I prepared myself for what I was about to read.
I began reading . . . the introduction was flawless! She ended with a classic thesis stated in the exact style of the model essays we studied at the beginning of the unit. Then as I read on into the body of the essay, she kept it up. The essay was brilliant as she had perfectly applied the suggestions I offered in that ever-so-brief post-class consultation a few days ago. She earned an A+, her best effort of the semester.
The next day was the last class meeting of the semester, so I couldn’t wait to congratulate her at the end of class.
“Hey, Tarah, you nailed that essay! I was so proud of you, girl!”
She grinned widely—I’ve never seen a happier student. “Oh, yeah, I was so hyped when I saw that grade. The first thing I did was call my grandmother! She was sooo excited!”
Wow! That moment made my day. Here was an 18-19 year old student whose grandmother must be one of her granddaughter’s biggest fans. The moment reminded me that my students are not just young adults learning to stand on their own, living and learning away from home. True, they strive to make their mark at independence, but they are still connected and loved, cheered along as well, by parents, aunts and uncles, siblings, former teachers, and yes, even grandparents, all of whom rejoice in the happiness of a loved one doing well.
I had a role in Tarah’s achievement and that family’s rejoicing, so hereby I accept my reward for this latest episode and installment in Inventio, celebrating those humble rewards of this amazingly humane profession.
Inventio! 