Not once, but twice!

I'm still a bit in shock, but that happens frequently when one works with 100+ 8th graders on a daily basis. I'm smiling inside over a minor, but significant "victory" with one of my more difficult students. She let me know on the 1st day of school that she "hated science in 6th grade and hated science in 7th grade . . . it's so boring!" So, I already had 2 strikes against me, as her science teacher.

I later encountered her sassy attitude & irritated demeanor in my class, which seemed to be more blatantly directed toward me, not the subject I teach. My team leader talked to her about it, since she has more influence on certain kids, because of her experience & race. The student said, about me, "She just irks me!" So, needless to say, we weren't exactly hitting it off very well.

I have these mild out-of-body experiences with a few kids, where I really feel like an actress, because I have to be extra patient & super-polite, lest I seethe and spit tacks at them. I've tried really hard to compliment this student, give her positive reinforcement, and "go the extra mile," if you will. She generally brushes by me nonchalantly and avoids eye contact in the hallway.

Imagine my surprise when, on Friday, I passed this student at her locker after school. She called out to me, "Bye Miss M_____!" I almost pinched myself b/c it didn't seem possible.

And then, today, after track practice, I saw her outside waiting on her ride. I knew it couldn't happen again, not when she is surrounded by her peers. I even avoided her eye contact this time, which ensures that this was completely student-initiated. Sure enough, I heard her singsong voice say, "Bye Miss M_____!"

I'm still in shock. Sometimes the tiniest incidents can seem like the biggest achievements. It was nice enough to end last week on a positive, but even nicer to start this week with more of the same.