I am so happy when my tutor student proudly hands me his dictation workbook, 88/100!! He has failed the subject miserably the whole academic year. Although he dismisses this dictation has been way too easy, I can tell he is really pleased with his mark with that sly grin of his.
We proceed to study for his following task, where he has to memorize a paragraph and write it out in class. Facing the daunting paragraph which is actually only five sentences long, he starts to squirm in his seat and play with the cats. He keeps saying it's mission impossible and challenges me to memorize it.
I figure there is no better way to convince him it's not insurmountable than to show him if I can, he can, too. I memorize the sentences and minutes later I slam the book closed telling him I am ready. Sporting a smirk and raised eyebrows, he holds up the book and tells me to begin. As I proceed to recite the sentences, his eyes grow wider and wider. When I finish, his mouth is in the shape of an "O".
Having piqued his curiosity, I wedge my way in telling him there is a "magical" way to remember the paragraph. They are related sentences with hints you can take from the previous sentence to prompt you for the following one and so on to the end. At first he is in la la land, but after just four attempts, he totally gets it and it's 100% correct.
With a satisfied smile, he then asks me if he can watch some TV. He gets to sprawl on the sofa to catch his favorite show for twenty minutes. After a stretch he says he is off to meet his classmates for some basketball. Mission accomplished!!
2 comments:
oh what a good boy! and what a good tutor! and how proud you must be for your student! :) I felt proud of him reading your post :) so you must be feeling hundred times more! you know, may be you found another thing you are good at! :)
haha, thanks!!
I never knew I would enjoy tutoring but it turned out to be quite fun!!
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