My student, D, came to class today and I had to tell him that, due to his being absent over 8 times, he couldn't possibly pass the class... his response: "Okay, well... that's the worst birthday news ever." And I felt so bad! But he just smiled, and said it'd be okay, and then HE HUGGED ME, and left. I just feel bad for the kid... but he brought it upon himself =/
P.S. the hug was extremely awkward for me, and I didn't know how to handle it! On one hand, I'm happy my students feel comfortable around me, but on the other hand, it was just way too close for comfort.
ReplyDeleteI think that it was the first time I'd ever considered students to be "others". My class has built a great community in which they're able to communicate comfortably and respectfully with one another and myself, and so I had that "community" mentality. I consider myself to be an "other" apart from them because they are the majority and they are the ones that I'm focusing on, but I'd never looked at them as being the "others"... odd feeling.