For me, one of the many sources of joy is helping someone understand something they were having difficulties with. It is wonderful when I see the twinkle in the eye or the proverbial light turn on. The twinkle in the eye and the proverbial light turning on tells me the path to success is not a little less cluttered.
Through the duration of previous semesters I have discovered how rewarding it can be to help a student understand something that many of us do not even consider difficult. International students have a lot on their plate when they decide to come to the United States to further their education. Sometimes depending on how long international students have studied the English language, and if they learned British Standard or American Standard, can have a big impact on their confidence when they enter our school systems.
This semester it has been my honor and pleasure to work with students who wanted help increasing their communication level in English. While the students and I worked with reading, writing and speaking English, I found myself learning. I have always been open-minded to different ideas, places, cultures and backgrounds. The experience of working with international students gave me an opportunity to learn about places I could only imagine seeing. I found myself on the edge of seat as they explained different aspects from their native home. A session that started off as me helping them adjust became a session of shared learning.