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Caleb Moody

Mrs. Jessup

Educational Narrative

04 September 2018

A True Lesson

Getting called into tutorials by a teacher always leaves me quaking, and this time was no

exception to my normal anxious feeling. Knowing that my paper was incomplete, I trudged down

the hallway, head down trying to escape my fears. As I walk in the door, heart beating faster with

every step, I approach the desk. It was in this moment, however, that I would learn the true gift

of teachers and how to best use the knowledge they possessed.

From the beginning of my academic career, the attitude had always been that “it was too

easy.” Very rarely did I ever encounter a problem I could not overcome with just a bit more

thought or a little more instruction, but I had never fully appreciated the fact that teachers were at

school to help. All the way up to the 7th grade, the only challenges I’d faced were having to wait

for my classmates to catch up to my pace, and though I knew they could, they never seemed to

do so. Most of the time I felt as if I was being held back, and as I got older my work ethic started

to become the true hinderince on my achievement. As I walked into room 206, that attitude was

going to challenged.

“Caleb Moody,” she looked right, and though I had planned to avoid eye contact, I felt

compelled to look back. Once it was clear she had my attention, she continued on. “This paper is

incomplete, care to tell me why?”

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The question floated up in the air for awhile, until I finally answered, “I was lost, and I

didn’t really know what to write about.”

I bit my lip, hoping that the excuse was believable enough to be off the hook so I could

go to football practice. I knew exactly why I hadn’t finished, and it was not that I didn’t

understand the assignment, it was that I chose to put it off. The topic seemed tedious, and I

couldn’t stand to write another essay on some life experience from my childhood, especially

when I had other things on my plate.

“Try again,” she responds, “and this time tell me the real reason.” Her eyes darted back in

forth, scanning me for any sign of regret or remorse for what I’d done. She knew I could write, it

was pointless to try and avoid the inevitable. All I could imagine was the zero sitting in my

major grade section of my online gradebook, and how everything I knew depended on me having

a decent grade, especially in English.

As we discuss further my predicament, I admit to my laziness. At first, I tried defending

myself, coming up with reason after reason on why I didn’t get around to it. I put the blame on

my various extracurriculars, my internet, lack of comprehension of the prompt, yet everything

would get shot down by her simple response of “try again.” Frustrated, despite being at fault, I

admit to her that I had not completed the essay because I had not seen it as necessary, and that I

had believed it was just a ‘waste of time.’

Upon hearing this, she requested that I take a seat. At first, I was hesitant, but I decided to

give it a chance, and I thought maybe I’d get a second opportunity to redeem myself on the

essay, which would help my grade out. The words she spoke would linger in my mind

throughout the entirety of the talk, and they still come back to this day.
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With a look of disappointment in her eyes, Mrs. Boudreaux looked dead at me and

passively stated that, “if that’s your attitude then you are in for a rude awakening.” first I brushed

it off, as it was common for teachers to say such things to attempt at motivating students, but

what she followed up with made me realize my wrongs.

“Caleb, I thought the exact same thing when I was your age, that I was above the mark

and could get by with putting in half effort, but let me tell you it will get back at you.” Initially

the statement confused me, but thinking more and more, I realized that she had lost something

because of the very same mind set I was stuck in. Though my experience had only taught me a

lesson, her instance had cost her a scholarship, and she was adamant about instilling the work

ethic of a true student in me. She not only let me finish my essay, she showed me ways to

improve, such as diction, that I can still use to this day.

This one tutorial session really opened my eyes to not only my habits as a student, but to

my habits outside the classroom. Whether she knows or not, I was extremely grateful that she

took the time to at least call me out, and offered me a second chance when I really deserved a

zero. The pestering may have seemed annoying in the moment, but looking back it was exactly

what I needed, and the wisdom she shared with me helped me get through some of my rougher

moments in higher level schooling. The moment really influenced my ability to think thoroughly

and to seek out information, but it also taught me that I will never fully understand all there is to

learn, and that teachers are in their place to be a reference for their students. The slight

investment my teacher made in me back in 7th grade English has been a huge influence on who I

am as a student today. The brief conversation we had regarding how to work harder so that I

could best control my success, and the opportunity she gifted upon me to finish the paper made
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me appreciate the gift of teachers so much more, for they really do want what’s best for their

students.