Success is not always measured by A’s and B’s
The last week of school has gone by in a blur, with Monday a
holiday, finals Tuesday through Thursday, and San Benito High
School graduation on Friday. The academic year flew by, seemingly
ending shortly after it began.
While some underclassmen openly stressed about studying, some
seniors stressed about serving those last detention hours so they
could walk in the commencement ceremony.
Success is not always measured by A’s and B’s
The last week of school has gone by in a blur, with Monday a holiday, finals Tuesday through Thursday, and San Benito High School graduation on Friday. The academic year flew by, seemingly ending shortly after it began.
While some underclassmen openly stressed about studying, some seniors stressed about serving those last detention hours so they could walk in the commencement ceremony.
When the calendar flips to June, students find it hard to believe their school year – or school career – is done. As exciting as it is, it’s also a bit scary.
As a teacher of teenagers, I like the last week of school (and not just because it’s the last week of school). While a number of seniors look forward to days spent at the beach or sleeping in, others look back and become reflective and introspective.
Students say things like, “This is the last time we’ll have this class together,” soaking in the finality of their thought.
Or, “If I don’t pass this class my parents are going to kill me,” a look of dread changing their countenance.
The last few weeks can be a time when some lose focus, which makes it frustrating for teachers who try to encourage students to avoid the end-of-the-year slippage.
Often, a gentle reminder – in the form of a progress report showing missing work – can get them back on track. In other cases, it takes daily pestering, combining encouragement with a dose of doom, as we remind them not to throw away the time they have put in since last August.
After school on Wednesday, a senior who was on the receiving end of my warnings and cajoling about his missing work, stopped by after class to find out his grade. He had done extra credit work all week hoping to pass the class and he wanted to see if it had paid off.
I told him I hadn’t graded his final yet, but that I would right then if he wanted to wait. He said “OK” with hope and fear in his voice. After the first few pages of the written final, I could tell he had studied, as he was getting more answers right than wrong.
About two-thirds of the way through, I knew he had done well enough to pass, but I kept a straight face so as not to spoil the surprise. After totaling the points and entering the score into the computer gradebook program, his score showed he had passed the class and would be that much closer to walking in graduation.
When I told him the news and offered my congratulations, he offered his hand to thank me, which meant a lot. He could have said “cool” and spun around and took off, but he didn’t. He was the one who had done the work and he deserved the credit for bringing his grade from failing to passing over the past few weeks, but it did take some nudging and bugging and reminding to get him there, so I appreciated his thanks.
Will passing this newspaper class set him on a career path in journalism? Not likely. Will walking in the graduation ceremony guarantee that he’ll get a good job and be a productive member of society? Nope.
My hope is that his late-semester rally will stay with him in some small way. He procrastinated and cruised for much of the year, but when he applied himself – even though it was in a panic – he showed that he can have success.
It wasn’t the difference between earning magna cum laude and summa cum laude on the honor roll. It was the difference between passing and failing. The smile he wore as he thanked me showed his relief and indicated his pride.
Will the lesson be that he can put things off and squeak by in the end or will it be that when he tries, he can succeed? My hope is that it is the latter. When he was not trying, he was failing. When he applied himself and decided to try, he passed – and took pride in his accomplishment.
If he takes that small victory to heart and realizes that effort can fuel success, that D-plus will hold as much value as an A.
Adam Breen writes a blog at http://thebreenblog.blogspot.com and teaches newspaper and yearbook classes at San Benito High School. He is a reporter for The Pinnacle and former editor of The Free Lance.
