7 March 2014: Yesterday was the last day before Spring Break so you can imagine that by late afternoon, campus was pretty empty. My office hours go until 5:00, but I didn't anticipate many/any drop-in students. Around 3:00, though, a student showed up. He wanted to talk about some papers he has that are due after break. This particular student is struggling quite a bit in my class, but I keep telling him that he's "almost there," right on the verge of getting it. I keep telling him not to get discouraged. I worry that it isn't sinking it.
Our conversation yesterday, though, showed me that he's willing to work and write and rewrite, that he hasn't gotten discouraged. And our conversation, about a story by Lydia Davis, was so much fun. We sat there, talking about how he could approach this super-short piece, starting to go down one road, then starting again. There were long pauses, while we both thought about the text, its technique, and how to express what it does.
Ultimately, the student still isn't "there" yet, but he's energized and enthused. And so I am. Not a bad way to greet Spring Break.
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