Another story about an interaction that makes me remember why I like being a teacher

I was teaching my 6eme class this morning. These are the youngest and tend to be the most shy students at the school.

Each class has two students (usually a girl and a boy) who are supposed to be the leaders of the class. (the prefects, if you will) These students are in charge of lining the class up for the flag ceremony, taking attendance and doing anything (within reason) that a teacher asks them to do.

I had 10 minutes left in this particular class period when I realized I hadn’t signed the attendance sheet yet for that day. In ordinary Beninese teacher fashion, I whispered to one of the students in charge (the girl) to go get the attendance book from the director’s office. 

I continued to walk through the class to make sure the other students were still working. When I made a pass back by her seat, I noticed she wasn’t back yet. I looked over to the director’s office and saw she was still standing outside in an apparent effort to conjure the bravery to step into the room.

I knew there were important people in the building at the moment. (the director, the vice principal, the president of the PTA) And I knew that she needed to learn how to not be scared to talk to people in authority.

But I also remembered how I used to feel at her age when I was afraid to make phone calls and talk to waiters at restaurants and bring a book with me everyone so I wouldn’t have to answer questions.

So, I retrieved the attendance book myself that day.