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20 June 2006
Feedback
Today was a special day. I asked my pupils to take a piece of paper and to write what they thought about the English classes (and the English teacher!) all along the year. I wanted to have some feedback to help me progress in my job.
I had two different kinds of reaction.
With my first class (15-16 year olds) most of them did it, saying positive things – which was good. Some didn’t do it – they gave back a blank sheet. Or they just wrote a few words, not even about the contents of the class. It was anonymous, it’s the end of the year, they had nothing to fear. One said “don’t look!”. I said “no I’m not looking”. He wrote (in English): “I have much appreciated this year” (sic).
What I’ve realized reading this is their self-restraint. He didn’t want me to read that he liked the class. Only the girls were more direct. The boys didn’t say much – keeping their kind of “pupil-like dignity”: “No we’re not going to tell you; it’s not part of the contract”. Yeah. Right. I’ve nearly forgotten that. They’re in the middle of those trouble years where saying to an adult “I like what you’re doing” is impossible. They’re too much concerned about themselves, their own life. I’m just their teacher, nothing else. The invisible barrier is there, impassable. It was stupid of me to expect more. What should I expect???
They’re leading their lives, I’ve been a tiny detail in them. They’re going on with different things, on a different way.
After all, I am, too, ready to move on, to start a new life, far from here, in a new school, a new region.
Then I met my second class (17-18 year olds). They were only 8 – it’s really the end of the year for them, most of them are not coming to class any more. They took their blank sheets and wrote – and wrote again. I read them after they left. It was the last time I saw them. The little notes were just... amazing. Saying I was a very good and enthousiastic teacher, that I made them progress, that they learned many things, that I was nice... I even had a love declaration ! ;-) “You’re the sun of my life. I like your style – don’t change. You’re beautiful when you’re angry. Big Kiss. R and T.”. They both gave me their numbers on a paper, asking me to send them messages !! ;-)
I held these little folded notes like some precious and secret revelations that I couldn’t put away. I packed my stuff, keeping them in hand, went to lock the door. I felt tears coming up. I felt sadness. I felt my heart pinching.
They were simply the first ones. Can you ever forget about your first times? Don’t they make you feel special? Isn’t it the kind of thing that lingers in you?
I think it is.
22:35 Posted in Blog | Permalink | Comments (4) | Email this | Tags: feedback, notes, pupils, feelings.
Comments
No, you will never forget them. 23 years later, some of them are still present in my memory. Some of them have become teachers and personally I teach in the same school as my former German teacher (When I was in 4ème). Life goes on but the years spent together in class, whatever role we play (teacher or student) leave permanent traces.
Posted by: educnat | 21 June 2006
Ca fait toujours plaisir d'avoir des messages comme ça :)
Posted by: Logales | 21 June 2006
I feel exactly the same way except that I didn't ask them to write me a note...I should have though...
I love it when I see teachers who aren't afraid of crossing that symbolical line that some of us put between the teacher and his/her pupils.
Best luck for next year.
Posted by: emyandthepeanut | 26 June 2006
Merci emyandthepeanut ! ;-)
Posted by: missteacher | 26 June 2006