This is a particular delight for anyone who has been teaching a long time, and I do love the unexpected meeting on a random street. This morning, as I set off to school a half hour earlier due to a soccer playoff (which we lost, badly, and in the most ugly way to a rude, crude team, even though admittedly they played a better game), I came out of the subway at what is for me an unusual time. Rounding the stairs, I almost collided with a tall, willowy figure in his mid-teens, a boy who was in grade 6 class 5 years ago. The mutual recognition was instantaneous, as was the jovial greeting. We had a few things in common, he and I, mostly a love of sports and in particular, an obsession for tennis. I decided to speak to him in French, and he was still sharp about it despite 3 years at a private school without any further formal classes in the language. He is planning a summer trip to France to freshen up his dull skills, and he was open to the idea of taking it as a minor in university just to keep it up and give himself more options as he focusses his eventual studies in business administration. I told him that I took it for no other reason than to have an excuse to read, write and converse in my mother-tongue, and he seemed in agreement that it was a good idea for him as well. We talked about his school, my school, and how three of his former classmates in my year with him are in his class now at an all-boys private school. Funny thing, given that my whole class was no larger than 17 that year. They are all doing well, getting on with things, as I frequently reassure parents that most kids eventually do, even when they seem to be proving the opposite in middle school. And the tennis? Yes, still strong for both of us. For me, this is my first year back since my shoulder injury, and I am loving being out there, making the same old mistakes and having the same old strengths. He's moved on from the club I play for, onto a "better" club where he continues to shine on the court.
The entire conversation was likely less than five minutes, and yet, it only took that time to figure out that he is still happily carving out a decent, happy, productive life. It made me smile all the way to school.
4 comments:
That must of made you feel wonderful, it is so good to get a chance to see the positive progression of children towards adults!
Isn't it lovely to bump into old pupils and students? I do so quite often, as I only have my students for 10 weeks at a time, so they are still on campus for three years after they finish with me. I still enjoy seeing them and finding out how they are doing even in the final year. Lovely, Anne Marie!
Oh, how wonderful to bump into a student and know they are doing well. I must imagine it is a thought a teacher thinks about. You put so much into your teaching in hopes of hearing this story from a former student. very cool Anne Marie.
I would bet that his running into you meant everything to him. Meaning, in those five minutes you were teacher and you gave him the ability to hear the direction he was steering himself in.
Nice.
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