I made a difference!

On Tuesday Marlina, our school counselor, called me into her office. She's a wonderful, kind lady, soft-spoken but friendly, who advocates for all the students and has really helpful information about them. I thought she wanted to talk to me about one of my students...I've already lost some, three boys from my 9C (lowest-level 9th-grade class) who got "fired" (expelled) for cutting class too much. She joked that she had called me in for counseling, then told me she just needed my help writing an announcement for the upcoming assembly. I obliged, of course, glad that my skills as a native speaker of English allow me to be useful, since I sometimes feel very useless here: I can't speak Marshallese, I can't play basketball or volleyball (valued skills among my students), and I can't chase away dogs that try to bite me.

Then we chatted a bit about my students, and I told her about my public speaking unit, which I think is going pretty well. The students are impossibly shy- some won't speak louder than a whisper, some won't speak at all, and most of them won't repeat an answer they've given, even if it's right and all I want them to do is say it more loudly. So getting them to stand up and give a speech in front of the class has been quite an accomplishment...but I often worry that I'm pushing the really shy ones too far, and I always wonder whether I've actually made an impact.

Marlina told me one of my students had talked to her about the public speaking unit, and said she was feeling more sure of herself because of it! I was so thrilled. That's probably the best praise I've ever heard for my teaching. I'm actually making a difference! A student feels more confident because of something I've done! And after Marlina told me that, I started trusting my own observations more and realizing several of my students seem more confident and talkative since we've done the speeches.

One of my 11th-graders was so shy he did both of his speeches a day late because he wasn't ready to do it when I first called on him. I wondered if he'd ever overcome that. But since the second speech, which was definitely better than his first, he's been actually raising his hand in class and answering questions, which is fabulous. (Side note: this kid's name is Benhur. I've resisted the urge to ask him if he's ever ridden in a chariot).

Another studnet, a 9th-grader, missed several days of class during the public speaking unit. It turns out that her adoptive mother had died (more important info from Marlina). The poor kid actually gave me a note apologizing that the office had not told me the reason for her absence. I tried my best to express my condolences, tell her there was nothing to apologize for, and reassure her that there was no hurry- she could do her speech whenever she was ready. She did a great job with the speech (quiet and mumbly but not as quiet and mumbly as before) and since then has been much more smiley and talkative in class. She even spoke to me without me asking a question, telling me she really enjoyed the song we had listened to (Octopus's Garden by the Beatles).

So for the first time, I have proof that I'm actually accomplishing something here, and it feels so great. Thank you Marlina!