I've spent the past five months working at Sylvan Learning Center teaching math, algebra, SAT prep and working with some students on homework support. It's been a great opportunity to build personal relationships with students. I've seen one eighth grader come begin her program not knowing any multiplication facts progress through long division and fractions. I am so proud of her! She invited me to watch her debate at school. She's the kind of kid that could easily get lost in the school system so I was so happy to see her excited about school activites!
Another one of my students wins the prize for most smiley person I have ever met. He is shy and speaks with a quiet voice. I love to work with him because he is a sponge. He loves to learn and sometimes I can even get him to giggle! He never wants to leave when his lesson is over and he asks if he can come home with me. He even volunteers to ride on top of my car. He is awesome.
I teach pre-algebra to an autistic student. He never really has much to say, but he has a wonderful sense of humor. One day he sat tapping out melodies on his calculator. It was barely noticeable but gave everyone at the table a smile. He is learning to work with positive and negative numbers. I told him about the nightmare dream I had in middle school when I was struggling with positive and negative numbers. He thought it was the silliest thing he'd every heard. I warned him that some day he will have the same nightmare- so now he gives me the report every time he sees me. (Still no nightmare)
I have learned so much by getting to know my students on a more personal level. They come in each day eager to tell me about their latest boyfriend, the basketball tournament, their vacation...yesterday, one student even told me about running over a coyote with a swather! I love connecting with my students!
