Student of the Month: April 2013

Sometimes we take students like Sierra Banner for granted. In the chaos of the classroom, teachers sometimes overlook students like her: those that dutifully do everything we want them to. Sierra is a great student, meticulous and conscientious, who always makes every effort to finish assignments and turn them in on time. Some of the stuff we do doesn’t always come easily or naturally to her, and she sometimes has to struggle to complete the assignments…but she does so without complaint, recognizing that the bar is set high for a reason. Whether it is asking to take her Writing Notebook home so she can finish an entry or completing EVERY POSSIBLE OPPORTUNITY for extra credit at the end of the term, Sierra is willing to work hard for her good grades. This is a quality I greatly admire.

Not only that, but she is also the portrait of excellent citizenship, a student who never steps out of line or does anything remotely inappropriate, yet she participates willingly and often whenever the opportunity arises. And more than that, she’s just plain nice…even to this old ogre. She says hi to me when she walks in and thanks me when she leaves, and even though those may seem like simple courtesies, they are rare. They stand out. And I wanted to make sure Sierra was recognized for them.

Like I said, sometimes we take such students for granted. But, Sierra, I just want you to know that I don’t take you for granted. I was glad every day you came into my room because it is students like you that make the rest of them tolerable, and I’m glad I got to select you as my student of the month!