I love that story. And yeah, that's actually the part I sweated over the most. I kept it because he was trying so hard to hide his reaction, and it was literally just those two involuntary physical reactions that gave him away. If this happened in the summer I might have been able to see his carotid or otherwise have noticed via something less trite, but he was wearing several layers.
Yeah this one made me cry too, not least because of the sense of failure I personally feel because my 14 year old son is failing school. I pulled him out for 8th grade (I couldn’t see sending an aspie kid to school where everyone was wearing masks) but I am not a skilled teacher and he is not an enthusiastic student, and it didn’t work.
He’s in a “science” charter school this year (9th) but he simply doesn’t care enough to get his homework done, even with me sitting at his side pointing at what to do next. If it weren’t all on the god-damned Chromebook, I could probably help him more. He has never had a lightbulb moment, and I worry A LOT about his future. Like, a LOT a lot. A lot.
You probably can tone down the worrying some. My high school "education" deserves the scare quotes (Genesis for science class, literally; I went to what was basically a homeschooling co-op in a church basement). When I decided I wanted a degree, specifically in math, I taught myself all of high school mathematics in a summer, from Khan Academy and some used textbooks. And I'm no genius. When he has the internal motivation of a goal, he'll get it done.
Whenever I've heard the term "creative writing" I've always immediately assumed it meant fiction. It finally occurred to me as I was reading this that there's no logical reason "creative writing" couldn't be nonfiction as well. I'm left hoping this piece is at least partly based on one of your actual tutoring sessions. Events that beget happy tears can be so few and far between, so I hope this one was something you actually got to experience. If it wasn't, you're a skilled enough writer to make me believe you did.
It is a (slightly) fictionalized version of something that really happened, yes. I went with the "creative nonfiction" approach (which is a whole thing, though poorly defined) because if it was a straightforward essay, I would have felt obligated to find and link to things about how the color changing approach helps some but not all dyslexics, to compare/contrast the Common Core approach to math with other approaches, and otherwise *inform* the reader instead of (hopefully) allow the reader to experience it with me. And thank you!
In my mind’s eye I was in the room with you and Jack as I read the piece and my eyes welled as you bit back on your tears hard enough and long enough to see him out at the end. You accomplished your goal of telling the story in a way that immerses the reader, and to carry that off in such a short piece is among the most difficult writing feats.
More specifically, I thought the amount of background description of the setting was ideal for a story of this length — just enough broad strokes to give the reader a template of the room into which his/her mind’s eye automatically fills in details that aren’t important to the plot.
Thank you so much -- that's always been the part of storytelling I struggle the most with. My therapist is always either bitching at me for over-explaining or under-explaining, LOL. I'm glad I got the balance right, for once.
We’d re-polarize one pathway and another would collapse. And then another. His… hands… were moving faster than I could see, trying to stay ahead of each breakdown. He refused to give up. He was remarkable.
Yeah, I got a big ol lump in my throat there at the end. See what a blessing you are, Holly? You have a purpose, and best of all you're pursuing it by giving your gift to others. Just when I think goodness in this world is losing ground to evil, I discover how wrong I am. You and your friend Josh are using your lemons to make lemonade for others and that's just, well.....magnificent. 🤗
I mostly want to write my own curriculum, after seeing what they're putting this poor kid through. Writing about math can help some kids, but it should be 100% optional. Kids who aren't helped by writing about math should be allowed to keep that one part of school that doesn't stress them out as something they are allowed to enjoy.
The idea that he’ll remember these breakthrough moments and used them for further breakthroughs, the stepping stones that happened in that session… where they might lead to. Wonderful description of learning and getting it. Glad you’re tutoring.
“Yeah, I think—I think I can do this. I think there are patterns for all my non-math school stuff. I bet I can find a lot of them.”
😭 I'M NOT CRYING YOU'RE CRY - oh wait you actually were crying too 😅 'Lovely piece! Sounds like a smart kid - helpful patterns are indeed everywhere! I wish I'd had more of my own lightbulb moments in math tutoring but I'm glad you're making them happen for kids today that the system's all-too-readily letting down.
This was so heartwarming! I feel the same way when students have those lightbulb moments.
I'm also nerding out about how you found tools to help him remember patterns (color coding etc). Do you have other experience tutoring dyslexic kids? Or any links to articles with systematic advice for that?
I grew up in a church basement "school," where, with adult retrospect, I now understand that one of my childhood friends was a severe dyslexic. I was a good student and was often asked with helping him. I noticed that he never got confused on the first sentence or two of things. It seemed like his brain had two sentences of reading properly in it, only. So I worked with him on making flashcards out of index cards, and figuring out how long it took between flashcards for him to get a "reboot." The color thing was just a hunch, based on remembering that, and it works, in his case.
I always loved geometry growing up but for some reason algebra just eluded me. However when I homeschooled my daughter, I had some great resources and as I taught her I learned - finally, the lightbulb whent on!!!! She and I both did well. Parents shouldn't be afraid but that is very kind and considerate of you to offer your resources and your ability to parents trying to do right by their children. ❤️
NNNNOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOhhhh. I'm Steve Watson; I'm a biblioholic. You do NOT use a book; the bookSHELF, yes. A book, ANY book inc The Book of Moron and the Wholly Wibble should NEVER be abused! Folk who abuse books should be shot. ;-)
I love that story. And yeah, that's actually the part I sweated over the most. I kept it because he was trying so hard to hide his reaction, and it was literally just those two involuntary physical reactions that gave him away. If this happened in the summer I might have been able to see his carotid or otherwise have noticed via something less trite, but he was wearing several layers.
Gave me a few tears
Yeah this one made me cry too, not least because of the sense of failure I personally feel because my 14 year old son is failing school. I pulled him out for 8th grade (I couldn’t see sending an aspie kid to school where everyone was wearing masks) but I am not a skilled teacher and he is not an enthusiastic student, and it didn’t work.
He’s in a “science” charter school this year (9th) but he simply doesn’t care enough to get his homework done, even with me sitting at his side pointing at what to do next. If it weren’t all on the god-damned Chromebook, I could probably help him more. He has never had a lightbulb moment, and I worry A LOT about his future. Like, a LOT a lot. A lot.
You probably can tone down the worrying some. My high school "education" deserves the scare quotes (Genesis for science class, literally; I went to what was basically a homeschooling co-op in a church basement). When I decided I wanted a degree, specifically in math, I taught myself all of high school mathematics in a summer, from Khan Academy and some used textbooks. And I'm no genius. When he has the internal motivation of a goal, he'll get it done.
Love it.
When I was coaching middle school basketball and baseball years ago, I called these "the big O(h) moments."
I always tried to coach about life as much as I did about ball. Always cool to watch kids have that moment.
Good on ya.
Whenever I've heard the term "creative writing" I've always immediately assumed it meant fiction. It finally occurred to me as I was reading this that there's no logical reason "creative writing" couldn't be nonfiction as well. I'm left hoping this piece is at least partly based on one of your actual tutoring sessions. Events that beget happy tears can be so few and far between, so I hope this one was something you actually got to experience. If it wasn't, you're a skilled enough writer to make me believe you did.
It is a (slightly) fictionalized version of something that really happened, yes. I went with the "creative nonfiction" approach (which is a whole thing, though poorly defined) because if it was a straightforward essay, I would have felt obligated to find and link to things about how the color changing approach helps some but not all dyslexics, to compare/contrast the Common Core approach to math with other approaches, and otherwise *inform* the reader instead of (hopefully) allow the reader to experience it with me. And thank you!
In my mind’s eye I was in the room with you and Jack as I read the piece and my eyes welled as you bit back on your tears hard enough and long enough to see him out at the end. You accomplished your goal of telling the story in a way that immerses the reader, and to carry that off in such a short piece is among the most difficult writing feats.
More specifically, I thought the amount of background description of the setting was ideal for a story of this length — just enough broad strokes to give the reader a template of the room into which his/her mind’s eye automatically fills in details that aren’t important to the plot.
Thank you so much -- that's always been the part of storytelling I struggle the most with. My therapist is always either bitching at me for over-explaining or under-explaining, LOL. I'm glad I got the balance right, for once.
We’d re-polarize one pathway and another would collapse. And then another. His… hands… were moving faster than I could see, trying to stay ahead of each breakdown. He refused to give up. He was remarkable.
😭😭😭
Yeah, I got a big ol lump in my throat there at the end. See what a blessing you are, Holly? You have a purpose, and best of all you're pursuing it by giving your gift to others. Just when I think goodness in this world is losing ground to evil, I discover how wrong I am. You and your friend Josh are using your lemons to make lemonade for others and that's just, well.....magnificent. 🤗
I want you to be everyone's math tutor.
Yes! I wish she had taught me math. She should be teaching the math teachers.
I mostly want to write my own curriculum, after seeing what they're putting this poor kid through. Writing about math can help some kids, but it should be 100% optional. Kids who aren't helped by writing about math should be allowed to keep that one part of school that doesn't stress them out as something they are allowed to enjoy.
Well, I guess we’re all crying now. Beautiful story.
The idea that he’ll remember these breakthrough moments and used them for further breakthroughs, the stepping stones that happened in that session… where they might lead to. Wonderful description of learning and getting it. Glad you’re tutoring.
P.S. great writing here too.
Thank you. ❤️
This is beautiful.
“Yeah, I think—I think I can do this. I think there are patterns for all my non-math school stuff. I bet I can find a lot of them.”
😭 I'M NOT CRYING YOU'RE CRY - oh wait you actually were crying too 😅 'Lovely piece! Sounds like a smart kid - helpful patterns are indeed everywhere! I wish I'd had more of my own lightbulb moments in math tutoring but I'm glad you're making them happen for kids today that the system's all-too-readily letting down.
glorious. thank you
This was so heartwarming! I feel the same way when students have those lightbulb moments.
I'm also nerding out about how you found tools to help him remember patterns (color coding etc). Do you have other experience tutoring dyslexic kids? Or any links to articles with systematic advice for that?
I grew up in a church basement "school," where, with adult retrospect, I now understand that one of my childhood friends was a severe dyslexic. I was a good student and was often asked with helping him. I noticed that he never got confused on the first sentence or two of things. It seemed like his brain had two sentences of reading properly in it, only. So I worked with him on making flashcards out of index cards, and figuring out how long it took between flashcards for him to get a "reboot." The color thing was just a hunch, based on remembering that, and it works, in his case.
I always loved geometry growing up but for some reason algebra just eluded me. However when I homeschooled my daughter, I had some great resources and as I taught her I learned - finally, the lightbulb whent on!!!! She and I both did well. Parents shouldn't be afraid but that is very kind and considerate of you to offer your resources and your ability to parents trying to do right by their children. ❤️
> They’re so badly written, in fact, that I can’t decide whether I’d prefer to give the writers a beating or a copy of Strunk & White.
If it's heavy enough, use the copy of Strunk & White to *deliver* the beating. I recommend a large-type, hardcover edition.
LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOL
NNNNOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOhhhh. I'm Steve Watson; I'm a biblioholic. You do NOT use a book; the bookSHELF, yes. A book, ANY book inc The Book of Moron and the Wholly Wibble should NEVER be abused! Folk who abuse books should be shot. ;-)
What, you've never heard of learning via osmosis? :D
You just have to hit them hard enough the words go *through* the cover...