I wrote this a few months ago and just found the paper in my purse, so I thought I would share it with all of you.
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I arrived about ten minutes late, as usual. No matter how I time my leave I always arrive ten minutes late. Somehow, either the stop lights or my wavering resolve to face three young Koreans always causes me to be late.
Today I arrived to find only two, very stubborn fifth grade boys to greet me. At first the reduced number appeared advantageous. Yet the most commonly made mistake is to under estimate the effect of a female presence. Yes, dear Jenny was gone.
It is hard to put into words the asset Jenny brings to my work. While on one hand our session was much quieter, on the other hand Stephen has an attitude and Peter gave me a much harder time about organizing his homework. As I sat across the table from my two tutees I wondered who was really in control here. Or is it simply a powerful example. Though she talks quite a lot during study time, Jenny wields power over her two companions
I suppose no teacher can ever assume the influence of a peer. Any student will tell you that their friends understand fashion, influence, and what not much better than their teacher. (Who obviously came from another planet.) Yet inwardly, in the unseen workings of their brains, teachers have great power over their students lives. The real trouble is managing to understand that a student's outward displays do not always reflect the soul.
