From a report card that could stop trains to achieving several distinctions – the incredible journey of my French student, Eric.
In late August 2022, I received a call from an anxious mother seeking my help in teaching her son French. The boy was preparing for his public exams and was not performing at his best. The extended period of the Covid lockdown had affected his motivation, and his report card was a cause for concern. His parents worried about his future prospects.
Given the limited time I had – just six months – and the fact that he couldn’t attend classes every day due to other subjects, I faced a challenging task. However, I have always embraced challenges, so I assured the mother that I would meet Eric before making any decisions.
Eric arrived at my place in his school uniform and conducted himself respectfully. His thoughtful answers and scrutinizing gaze made me feel like I was under examination. Something about his bright eyes reminded me of myself at his age. Hadn’t I been written off, too, by my teachers? What if it was the same for him?
And so our French classes began, held twice a week for an hour or two, sometimes extending to three or four hours. I initially worried about Eric’s playful nature, lack of retaining skills, refusal to revise, and never taking notes. Eric’s mother impressively managed his demanding schedule, tirelessly shuttling him from one class to the other. I admired her dedication.
Two days before the public exams, I was asked to take on Eric’s friend, who was an exceptionally bright student alongside Eric. Initially, I declined the request, anxious about Eric’s progress. I feared that the presence of this highly talented student would adversely affect Eric, potentially undermining the months of training we had invested in. I proposed teaching them separately, but they wanted to be together. Eventually, after much persuasion, I agreed.
That day taught me a valuable lesson: never underestimate your student, as they can surprise you. Before the academically gifted student could even form a sentence, Eric confidently and swiftly answered questions, leaving me astounded. His playful demeanour had vanished, revealing a side of him brimming with self-assurance as he outperformed his friend effortlessly.
We went from lesson to lesson, doing grammar exercises and practising question papers, and it was Eric who shone like a bright star in the night sky. There came a moment when Eric magnanimously said, “Ma’am, let my friend answer first, and if he can’t, I will.” I was like…what?
I then assigned them compositions, letter-writing tasks, and dialogues. When I read Eric’s work, I was amazed to find that he had mastered the usage of complex tenses, including the Subjunctive, Imparfait, Plus Que Parfait, Conditional, Future, Imperative and the “Si” Clause.
I felt an overwhelming sense of pride for my student and thanked God for bringing him to me. Eric didn’t just pass his French exam; he achieved an outstanding score of 76%.
Praise God.
Given the limited time I had – just six months – and the fact that he couldn’t attend classes every day due to other subjects, I faced a challenging task. However, I have always embraced challenges, so I assured the mother that I would meet Eric before making any decisions.
Eric arrived at my place in his school uniform and conducted himself respectfully. His thoughtful answers and scrutinizing gaze made me feel like I was under examination. Something about his bright eyes reminded me of myself at his age. Hadn’t I been written off, too, by my teachers? What if it was the same for him?
And so our French classes began, held twice a week for an hour or two, sometimes extending to three or four hours. I initially worried about Eric’s playful nature, lack of retaining skills, refusal to revise, and never taking notes. Eric’s mother impressively managed his demanding schedule, tirelessly shuttling him from one class to the other. I admired her dedication.
Two days before the public exams, I was asked to take on Eric’s friend, who was an exceptionally bright student alongside Eric. Initially, I declined the request, anxious about Eric’s progress. I feared that the presence of this highly talented student would adversely affect Eric, potentially undermining the months of training we had invested in. I proposed teaching them separately, but they wanted to be together. Eventually, after much persuasion, I agreed.
That day taught me a valuable lesson: never underestimate your student, as they can surprise you. Before the academically gifted student could even form a sentence, Eric confidently and swiftly answered questions, leaving me astounded. His playful demeanour had vanished, revealing a side of him brimming with self-assurance as he outperformed his friend effortlessly.
We went from lesson to lesson, doing grammar exercises and practising question papers, and it was Eric who shone like a bright star in the night sky. There came a moment when Eric magnanimously said, “Ma’am, let my friend answer first, and if he can’t, I will.” I was like…what?
I then assigned them compositions, letter-writing tasks, and dialogues. When I read Eric’s work, I was amazed to find that he had mastered the usage of complex tenses, including the Subjunctive, Imparfait, Plus Que Parfait, Conditional, Future, Imperative and the “Si” Clause.
I felt an overwhelming sense of pride for my student and thanked God for bringing him to me. Eric didn’t just pass his French exam; he achieved an outstanding score of 76%.
Praise God.
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