I was speechless...totally!
While reading Toeragz's post about "The Best Compliment", I got reminded of a funny incident during my Master's: I was working as the Electrical Engg tutor during my MS and one of the students used to come to me regularly for help with one of the toughest subjects (Electro Magnetics). It was a total nightmare to me during my BE and I was so glad to pass it in my BE.
She used to come regularly during my work hours for help with that subject and I really dont know how I helped her solve those home work problems. I will somehow make sure I get the answers at the back of the book (using all the theorems that I have ever read about). Everytime she left I was so relieved. It was the same nightmare everytime she came in for help with that subject. Finally the semester was ending and I was the happiest person to know about that (not because my classes were also ending for that semester, but just because I can get rid of her). After the exam, she comes back and tells me she scored an A in that class and had come back to thank me for all the help...I was speechless...totally!
She used to come regularly during my work hours for help with that subject and I really dont know how I helped her solve those home work problems. I will somehow make sure I get the answers at the back of the book (using all the theorems that I have ever read about). Everytime she left I was so relieved. It was the same nightmare everytime she came in for help with that subject. Finally the semester was ending and I was the happiest person to know about that (not because my classes were also ending for that semester, but just because I can get rid of her). After the exam, she comes back and tells me she scored an A in that class and had come back to thank me for all the help...I was speechless...totally!
posted by Twin-Gemini at 5/18/2005 12:00:00 AM
21 Comments:
Interesting.!! She got an A thanks to your teaching ..!!
You didn't know your skills!
That's life I think. Sometimes we really don't know our strong points. In your case, even though you found it tough to pass it in BE, your help made her get an A.!
Good work Anand.!! Way to go.
Ah well. Being a TA does have its merits.
சில பேருக்கு தன் பலம் தெரியாதுங்கறதுக்கு இது ஒரு நல்ல உதாரணம்
ohhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!!!!
EMT!!!!!!!!! Still scares the shit outta me!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Was just abt to say what Ram.C has told.. you are like Hanumar. I mean to say, you don't know your strength.
aaahaa!! idhu nalla keedhe!! :)
I need help w/ my Comp Sci, man!
:D
That's wonderful Anand! It's nice to touch ppl's hearts in some way or the other..I'm sure she is never gonna forget u all her life
thats why teaching is a great profession. we get immense amount of satisfaction by teaching someone. I expereinced it when I was a TA.
greaaat Anand :)I laughed thinking abt ur condition.... u did it!!!
Mr. Narayanan,
Well, I wouldnt put it that way. Inspite of my teaching, she got an A is how I would put it. :-)
Satosphere,
Certainly! One heart felt thank you is all it takes to make your day or your entire week :-)
Ram.C,
Sollarthukku sooperadhan irrukku! :-)
The Chennai Blogger,
Adhedhan! I still feel the same way with that subject!
Chakra,
Ha ha ha!
Harish,
Any day with Computer Science buddy. As long as I dont have to deal with Electro Magnetics Theory, any subject is fine.
Sangeeta,
Me too! Me too! :-)
Saranyan,
Tecahing is no doubt a noble profession.
Krish,
No nothing like that, I was just able to manage it somehow - still dont know how I was able to teach someone else a subject that I myself found very tough :-)
Hey, cool!:) That is interesting, isn't it? You dreaded the subject at ur grad level and you actually made someone else hit the top with your training!! Looks like you are a better teacher than a student! :).
that's really good. I am sure it feels really gr8 when somebody u helped achieves something. And moreover in ur case its the subject u dreaded. Congratulations!!!
Twin Gemini
Rettai kozhul thuppakiya irruke idhu
Nice post
Nothing like getting a compliment from u r students:)Goodwork anand.
A vaanginanaala neenga thappichcheenga. Vere edaavadu vandirundaa neengalum A aagiyiruppeenga. Puriyallaiyaa? "A"dhogathi thaan :-)
Reminds me of my own nightmare with EM. Whenever "we" meet, our classes and grades in EM are always a topic of discussion. The other "favourite" subject is SSED
the only best compliment I have received was when my neice told me:
"Chachi I love u the most and u are my bessst friend..." :)
Good work Anand....
Super post!!
And Hey - enakkum oru identical twin irukaan ;-D
Not Gemini though!
Dei..
The thing is u never studied EMT properly in school.. who taught u? was it koshu???
I admire the girl's commitment/drive/motivation/whatever to come to you for every problem and search for a solution. Looking at the answer and trying to come up with an acceptable derivation is a daunting task too.. but then it is doable(besides it is your job)!
You were surprised that she got an A... well here are some possibilities:
1. she is really smart to remember stuff you taught and got the results in the exam..
2. If she is committed enough to come and repeatedly bug you about problems, she probably constantly bugged the professor too... This could have motivated the prof to see the interest the girl has in the class/subject
3. She submitted all the assignments in time and read well for the theory questions...
4. She was cute and good looking (Def. A if the prof is like me)
5. Professor didn't care about the actual results but just looked at how much the girl struggled to get the results (like putting a million theorms and derivations for a problem)...
In any case, you did help a person.. But I wonder why this particular girl was in your mind... How does she look? Desi/Amru.. what is her name??? what is she doing now?
To be practical, she probably did the same thing with every difficult subject she had and came across a million TAs like you. There is a good chance she has no hint of who you are.. but that doesn't matter, you still did good...
Who else will comment like this in your blog?
-Durai
Anupama Viswanathan,
That part, I dont know. But somehow I just managed it, I think! :-)
Art,
Dank u!
Vidya,
I agree with that part. I felt really happy that someone else could do well because of my help.
Ganesh,
Ha ha ha!
Neelima,
Who better to know this than a teacher? :-)
Thennavan,
Romba correctu! But in that case, I would've silently escaped! :-)
Venky,
I think EMT is/was a nighmare for most of the physics/engg. students.
Which is SSED? Dont even remember these acronymns anymore.
IBH,
Oh cool! Then you should teach someone who's already intelligent and hard-working like I did. This way the compliment would come a lot easily :-)
Sweety,
Thanks!
Thayirsaadham,
Oh I see! Although in my case we are fraternal twins.
Dei Durai,
Whom did you fight with before posting this? Thalaiva, na escapu! :-)
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