The Best Sound This Morning...


...it's not the birds singing.  (Although that's nice.)
...it's not the dumpster being delivered next door. (That's never nice.)

The best sound this morning is two voices.  It's my son and his amazing tutor (Ms. H) as they video chat and work out math problems.

This is the 2nd video chat that they've had in three weeks.  Just hearing her cheer filled hello in the morning lightens my day.  (I'm pretty sure it lightens the day of our entire household.)

To backtrack a bit, in the fall I found out that a teacher acquaintance did math and science tutoring.  My son sometimes needs a little help with these subjects, but not regular weekly tutoring.  Ms. H was willing to step in (and up) and help as needed.   Ms. H, like my son's French tutor (who we haven't had to call on at all this year...that's due to the fact that his high school French teacher is amazing), doesn't just focus on the subject, but on how to approach the work.  It's about my son and how he learns.  It's about knowing his strengths and using them and his weakness and working with him to improve them.  Ms. H (again like the French tutor before her) is not "just" a tutor (although I don't know if such a thing actually exists), but she is a mentor.  She is encouraging and funny and our whole family feels better after a visit.

Now we are in a different place.  A place where I can't call her up and ask her to come over and help out.  But that hasn't stopped her.

During the first week of "remote learning" we had some serious problems with stress.  I'd say my son was having a meltdown over math and all the work that was being assigned to him across the board, but the truth is we were ALL having meltdowns.  (Can you blame us?)  We went into homework panic mode.  However, one call to Ms. H was all it took.  She got on line with my son and even with some technology challenges she talked him through the work.  She let him vent.  She kept her calm.  She truly was as ray of sunshine in a dark and cloudy world.

Since that day over two weeks ago, my son has been doing well on his own.  Yesterday he was unable to figure out an assignment.  He tried on his own.  His dad tried to help him.  (I am NO help whatsoever when it comes to math.)  My son tried again and he was mature enough to realize that he needed help.  (Maybe he needed a little prompting, but no pushing!)

One quick call last night and a 1/2 hour session was set up this morning before the school day began.  Just hearing her voice takes a weight off of me because I KNOW that my son is getting what he needs; help with a subject, but more importantly that much needed shot of confidence and the knowledge that he is not alone.

Thank you Ms. H.  And thank you to ALL the Ms. Hs out there who are helping kids in new and inventive ways during this most stressful of times.  What you teach is important, but who you ARE is invaluable.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

We Have Taken America Back

Image
Back to a time when all men (and women) are not created equal.  Where women's healthcare is determined by men's laws and not by medical professionals. Where education tells only the "winning" side of the story and truth does not matter.  Where banning and burning books is a social event.  Where people who are "different" than those in power can be mocked, shunned and hurt with no real consequences. Where lies are acceptable and integrity is  just a word on a page We have moved into a time where rage is the rage.  Where hate is not just normal, but accepted and even cheered. Where leaders can ask to have their "enemies" killed and no one will bat an eye.  Where it's "funny" to see someone struggle.  Where felony is applauded. Where compassion is not shown and caring for others is looked down upon. We have taken America back to a time of pain and suffering for many.  Back to when the "haves" can have and the have nots don'...
Read more

It's Not About Starbucks (or is it)?

Image
  About a block and a half from my home in a major intersection.  At the southeast corner (which is nearest to me), is an empty building.  Back in 1995 it was a Bank of NY (I remember this because they didn't shovel/de-ice their parking lot well and my husband fell and broke his ankle one Monday morning.  I recall this clearly because we were not yet married and it was the first day of a new job for me.  I had gotten on the bus to work and he was catching a later one; only he never got there.  Instead he ended up laying on the ground until an employee came to open up the bank.  Then he had them call an ambulance AND my mother who took control of the situation until I arrived home that night blissfully unaware of what had happened that day.)  It eventually became a Chase Bank; the second one in my small little town.  It eventually closed.  I'm not sure when but it's been empty for quite a long time.  (I do know that it was open in 20...
Read more

As Is

Image
  Today I want to discuss what I think it is a relatively simple concept, but may be difficult for some, even an attorney who might have once, over a decade ago won a  prestigious award  for young lawyers .  That term is "AS IS." As you may know, I volunteer in a thrift shop.  Everything we sell, from all the donations we receive, is "as is."  The items are not brand new.  They are not perfect.  That doesn't mean they aren't any good or worth something. They are sold "as is."  Buyers should go in knowing that. (After all you are shopping in a thrift shop!)  In some cases, particularly when we are offering higher end products, we will actually write on the price tag, "as is." Such is the case of two designer purses that I purchased from there this summer.  (I'm a purse-aholic!  Don't look in my closet.)  They were reasonably priced (especially when you consider the name brand), but each had an "as is" clearly marked o...
Read more