Weekly Reflection 2-3

Cont…

I’m beginning to realize that many of my students are in dire need of attention. I get the feeling that many of them have very low self-esteem and don’t believe that they can have a better life than their parents. Their journal entries are often heartbreaking. Many of my lectures include a modicum of inspiration. One common message is about my own experiences as a student. I have shared with them the fact that I failed a grade, lost friends to drugs, and even my ADD (Attention Deficit Disorder) diagnosis that went untreated and unknown until I was in graduate school.

During my advisory period when my fourth period students get to relax, do homework, and go to the library. During this time I chat with my “at-risk” students the most. One student explained to me that the only reason he was in school was due to the fact that it was part of his probation. Another student explained to me that his probation requires that he get tested for drugs weekly. Of all the students in my fourth period, they are my favorites. I admire their honesty and their courage to preserver. One thing that I know my “at-risk” students need is an open ear. They need someone who will not rush to pass judgment on them.