Last night, a handful of BrainStorm tutors were enjoying a meal at Blue Moon Mexican Cafe in Wyckoff, when their waitress handed them a note & informed them that someone had bought them a round of drinks.
The note instructed them to look to the right, and when they did they saw a group of BrainStorm students smiling and waving: “Thanks for tutoring us!”
It warmed our hearts & brought a smile to our faces. Appreciation from our students–the ultimate reward.
Contribution by Jolie Samuel
In an ever-changing world obsessed with the “next big thing,” it is difficult to stop and appreciate those around us who have essentially planted seeds in our hearts that foster passion and vision for our future.
A teacher’s job is to stimulate a student’s ordinary effort into something astonishing. When this type of feat is accomplished, it is important to take a moment and show your gratitude.
There is nothing sweeter or more rewarding than a sincere “Thank you.” Recently, I heard that a student wrote her teacher a letter expressing her genuine gratitude for multiple hours of extra assistance she had received after school. The student’s kind gesture contributed to the teacher’s overall attitude and performance in class. In addition, it gave her teacher strong incentive to continue providing after-school help.
It is beneficial not only for students to let teachers know when they have performed exceptionally, but also for teachers to send notes to students when they have performed extraordinarily well in class.
For today’s DIY project, I created an appreciation card for a teacher. It can easily be redirected toward a student as well. I used craft cardstock, some scrapbook paper and a few small letter embellishments to create this fun card. I added a personalized thank you on the inside and customized a quick note thanking a teacher for his or her superior instruction in class.
Tell us about your favorite teacher. What has he/she done to help you really raise your academic game?
Contribution by Sarah Davies
Their motto is this: “When your books and teachers don’t make sense, we do.” And, it’s true. SparkNotes do make a lot of sense out of a book or Shakespearean play when your teacher can’t seem to do so. Does this necessarily mean they should be used? I’ll admit that I have used SparkNotes, but afterwards I always felt a pang of guilt, as if my teacher would be disappointed to know I had looked up what happened in chapter 5 of Great Expectations because I hadn’t understood it on my own.
I have come to the conclusion that there is both a positive and a negative way to use SparkNotes. I use it as a sort of supplemental resource when it comes to understanding a text of which I’m unsure. I will never let SparkNotes serve as a replacement when it comes to reading a novel or a play because I want to experience the plot, the characters, and the symbolism within for myself—not through some Internet site.
Next time you’re sitting in English class, contemplating whether or not you understand why Romeo and Juliet just can’t be together, and whether or not you should get your answer from SparkNotes, consider these Do’s and Dont’s:
* DON’T make SparkNotes your number one resource when it comes to reading and understanding a text. Read the text on your own, and consult your teacher when you don’t understand something. (Your teacher WILL know if you’re reading SparkNotes and not the assigned text.)
* DO use SparkNotes as a supplemental resource. Read the text first, and then mosey on over to SparkNotes. Compare your interpretation of the text with theirs, and with your teacher’s. What are the differences? Allowing yourself to see a different perspective may open your mind.
* DON’T let SparkNotes become the text you use to write a paper. This is the easiest way to fall into the dangerous waters of plagiarism. It also sometimes will bring you to an interpretation your teacher did not teach in class.
* DO read your assigned English reading—you’ll be surprised how much you’ll appreciate it years after reading it.
In sum, appreciate SparkNotes for the awesome supplemental tool it is—and keep on reading the real stuff. There’s nothing better!
Contributed by Patrick Neary
There is something lurking in the background. Its nonchalance cannot be outdone; its importance to our existence is immense. It is the path cut out for you in the woods, and it is the troll waiting to stop you when you stray from the trail. It is Math, and it is out there shaping the world around you.
When I was a freshman in college, I had this idea that my professors knew something that they weren’t telling me… that on the day of my graduation they would come up and say, “Do you see [this] now?” In a way, they kind of did. I realize, of course, that it wasn’t one short concise thing that they could relate in a sentence. It was four years of mathematics. It was the way they showed me how to think. It was the way they taught me how math comes together as you move further into it. It was the beauty of the structure.
I see the world differently than before. Granted, I still envision a troll in the woods when I think about math, but now I know that there are hundreds—no, thousands—of trolls out in those mental woods. I know that I could continue to study mathematics for the rest of my days and still not know all there is to know. I wonder what I will see after another four years.
So many people turn away from mathematics because of a poor experience or because they have to work a little harder at it. I think we should all strive to change that, because math ROCKS. Come check out the trolls, people—they’re freakin’ delightful! I wish for everyone to see what I see.
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Word of the Day: Aplomb, noun
“Her aplomb was evident by her quick response with no doubt or hesitation.”
Word of the Day: Cohort, noun
“Cohort of entrants will embark on their studies in October.”
Word of the Day: Erudite, adjective
“Fantasy baseball, in its modern form, was born 30 years ago as a diversion played by a group of erudite baseball fans.” – John Oudens, “Fantasy Baseball”, New York Times, January 23, 2010
Word of the Day: Ignoramus, noun
“I am quite an ignoramus, I know nothing in the world.” – Charlotte Bronte, Villette
