I have a terrible memory for students sometimes. But that's a good thing as if I don't remember being irked by them, then the next time I see them they have a brand new chance with me.
I've been covering Mr. J's classes for just over a month now. It was just this last week, on Thursday, that I realized that I had met Nadine in period five before.
And, the only reason it came up was because of a different student in a completely different period.
Ava's not been showing up to class, when she does she's late, and she hasn't been doing the work. Unsurprisingly, she's got an F in math. I went to look at her grades in her other classes, and I was not shocked to find that math is not the only class she's failing.
That's when I noticed that Ava has Mr. M for history period six.
And I vividly recall getting a dressing down the day that I covered Mr. M's sixth period class.
Some more backtracking, and I found Nadine's name. And yup, Nadine's in Mr. J's fifth period.
Until that moment, I hadn't connected Nadine to the incident. I mean, I remember the incident. I just didn't recall the student who had told me I was a terrible sub who didn't do her job and that she'd get her mother to complain if I wished to take things further.
Will I remember Nadine after this? Likely.
But Nadine's been keeping a low profile in math class. (It helps that fifth period is co-taught. Having another teacher who's been around since the beginning of the year keeps most of the students honest.)
Curious, I checked Nadine's grades. Yup, she has an F in math and in history, too.
Figures.
A part of me is curious as to whether Nadine thinks I'm doing my job now. But I'm not going to ask. I don't really want to know.
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