RM Winter 2016 FLIP

Like aWave — From the Heart of a Transient Student

by Dustin Ledford Furman University (Graduate Student), Skyland Elementary

Reading Matters Commentary

L i k e a W a v e - F r o m t h e H e a r t o f a T r a n s i e n t S t u d e n t I f I c o u l d t e l l y o u a n y t h i n g , T e a c h e r , I w o u l d t e ll y o u t h a t I a m s c a r e d t o b e a t a n e w s c h o o l . I t a l w a y s g e t s e a s i e r a f t e r a f e w d a y s , B u t l i k e a w a v e I c o m e a n d g o – i t s a r ul e . I f I c o u l d t e l l y o u a n y t h i n g , I w o u l d t e l l y o u I ’ m e x c i t e d t o b e i n y o u r c l a s s . I r e a l l y l i k e d m y l a s t t e a c h e r – B u t m y t i m e t h er e w e n t f a s t . I f c o u l d t e l l y o u a n y t h i n g , I w o ul d t e l l y o u t h a t I a m s m a r t e r t h a n y o u t h i n k . E v e n t h o u g h l a s t w e e k ’ s c o n c e p t s w e r e f a r t o o h a r d f o r m e , I al r e a d y l e a r n e d e v e r y t h i n g t h a t y o u a r e t e a c h i n g t h i s w e e k . I f I c o u l d t e l l y o u a n y t h i n g , I w o u l d t e l l y o u t h a t I r e a l l y w o u l d li k e t o d o w o r k a t h o m e . B u t o u r p o w e r w i l l b e o u t f o r t h e r e s t o f t h e w e e k ; T h i s a l w a y s h a p p e n s r i g h t b e f o r e w e a r e g o n e . I f I c o u l d t e l l y o u a n y t h i n g , T e a c h e r , I w o u l d t e ll y o u t h a t I w i s h I c o u l d s t a y . I w o n ’ t a n s w e r “ p r e s e n t ! ” t o m o r r o w , I n s t e a d I w i l l b e w i p i n g my t e a r s a s w e d r i v e a w a y .

| 74 | Reading Matters | Volume 16 • Winter 2016 | scira.org

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