Teaching Rewards

I teach Digital Media at a community college. The semester is almost over. What I learn from teaching is how to relate to people who enter my sphere of influence completely by accident. In other words, I don't choose these people. They are as different as the entire spectrum of mankind, almost. Invariably, each class includes a student that will struggle through the entire course and feel completely defeated. Most teachers, if they are maximizers, will seek out the best students to focus on. But my experience asks me to help the underdog.

This year I had a student who would typically stare at the computer until I was able to explain the steps more directly. I always tried to approach situations like this with equal measures of caution and hope. I have always found that student's like these, appreciate patience and end up doing very well by the end of the semester. My goal for these students is to build more confidence in themselves that transcends the current course. I want them to approach each subject with boldness. Life is too short to be timid.