My cheeks flushed as I stared at the paper blankly. “Time’s up!’’ Mr.Cosman announced as everyone in my fifth grade class rushed to write their last answers. I hovered over my math test, protecting myself from the embarrassment of an unmarked sheet. School was so easy in Canada.Why did we have to move here? Multiplication was similar to deciphering hieroglyphics for me, and Mr. Cosman could not accept that. Day in and day out, he pushed extra handouts and time after school to ensure that my arithmetic skills were up to par. Besides the educational support, his greatest moment was when he wiped away my self-conscious tears. “Girls will be mean. Today, tomorrow, and for the rest of your life. Don’t let that affect the way you are.” He became
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The other tutors arrived and we waited to pair up with a tutee. After I greeted my partner with my usual enthusiasm, I was met with an oblivious expression as he slouched in his seat and hid under his baseball cap. The barrier I needed to penetrate would not be done by diving into Shakespeare interpretations. In the first few days, I wanted to build a genuine friendship with Cameron. Through witty jokes, frequent smiles spread across his face.Casual chit-chat turned into meaningful conversation as he opened up about how his unstable family life deeply impacted his motivation in school. It was humbling to be acknowledged as a trustworthy mentor. When I first saw his transcript though, I had a sudden surge of panic. Remarkably low grades prompted me to ask: “How did your other tutors help?” He mentioned how his last five tutors were more engaged in their own homework instead.Pure potential was not being nurtured.Just as Mr.Cosman had done for me, I felt the need to bring both Cameron’s grades and spirits up.As our sessions wrapped up, I took note of a growing enthusiasm toward school; his time previously spent in Angry Birds was put forth fully immersed in a Harry Potter novel. His praise motivated me to commit extra hours in my tutoring cycle for the rest of the year. By the end, his grades reared closer to the beginning of the alphabet. Through taking him under my wing, I
The other tutors arrived and we waited to pair up with a tutee. After I greeted my partner with my usual enthusiasm, I was met with an oblivious expression as he slouched in his seat and hid under his baseball cap. The barrier I needed to penetrate would not be done by diving into Shakespeare interpretations. In the first few days, I wanted to build a genuine friendship with Cameron. Through witty jokes, frequent smiles spread across his face.Casual chit-chat turned into meaningful conversation as he opened up about how his unstable family life deeply impacted his motivation in school. It was humbling to be acknowledged as a trustworthy mentor. When I first saw his transcript though, I had a sudden surge of panic. Remarkably low grades prompted me to ask: “How did your other tutors help?” He mentioned how his last five tutors were more engaged in their own homework instead.Pure potential was not being nurtured.Just as Mr.Cosman had done for me, I felt the need to bring both Cameron’s grades and spirits up.As our sessions wrapped up, I took note of a growing enthusiasm toward school; his time previously spent in Angry Birds was put forth fully immersed in a Harry Potter novel. His praise motivated me to commit extra hours in my tutoring cycle for the rest of the year. By the end, his grades reared closer to the beginning of the alphabet. Through taking him under my wing, I