message...

i am recording this to encourage myself....

received an sms from the mother of a student i knew since 2003....she subsequently dropped out of school and did her O levels as a private candidate...i taught her for 4 years, and was the longest math teacher she ever knew, and we kept in touch...she is doing her university with one of the private institutes affiliated with overseas uni...

This was the message:
"...just thinking of you today and wanted to thank God again for allowing our paths to cross. You have been a real blessing to M...She's doing really well at UB, in fact, she loves it there. Last sem she made it to the Dean's list and a research project she did with her partner may be published. Was just retracing the time before UB and remembered that it was also you who told us about the course. Thank you again for being mentor, friend and a fantastic teacher to M. ..."

M was the first child with special needs attributes I had come across. My lack of understanding resulted in many painful conflicts, and I did not want to continue with her. Except..... the girl liked me... in fact i had to take her as a tutee, cos her mother appealed to Ms Heng to ask me to help. I could not reject Ms Heng.

One episode was particularly bad...her mum rang me, and took alot of trouble to explain at length many of the traits that i did not understand, and had assumed it was irresponsibility and inconsideration.

When i realised what the parents went through to support her, I felt awful, for my ignorance and the hurt i had caused the child. I remembered telling myself, i am only seeing her a couple of times a week, and that is nothing compared to what the parents have to bear. I later took her out after her exams and had a good chat. That sealed it, and I was determined to see her through her education pathway....

Looking back, the girl is probably what US education literature would call a twice exceptional kid, some special needs trait, but exceptional in literary ability. That she is doing so well there, is not unexpected to me.

Her mother thanked me. But actually, i should thank her, for teaching me to understand every kid, for loving her child with such receptivness...its such a pleasure to receive such a message...especially at this time....