Turtles in Fourth Grade

Alex was my student in fourth grade. He was a big guy, as tall as me and as big physically as well. He loved having fun. He lived next door to the school, on the little road running between his home and the location of our classroom trailer. He was (and still is) as smart as a whip. He just refused to prove it for me that year. I pushed, pried, cajoled, and did everything I could (even going over to his home next door and talking to his mom & dad about how intelligent he is!) to get him to “make the grade!” I knew he could be an honor student. I loved this young-un, and became friends with his mom (all moms can feel it when their child is special to someone). Alex wasn’t “teacher’s pet” or anything like that. He was just a puzzle to me and I determined to make a difference in his life!

The last week of fourth grade rolled around and as usual, I was thinking over the year and considering the gains made by my students. I knew that Alex was smart, but I did not see evidence of the gains I had expected of him. I truly felt that I had let him down. As I lay down to sleep the night before the final school day, I prayed for Alex. I asked God’s forgiveness for not “reaching” Alex. I asked God to touch Alex and help him see the need for applying himself to his studies. Further, I prayed for each student in this fourth grade class to come to know Jesus Christ as their personal Savior.

The morning of the final day of the school year arrived. Alex and his mom, Elaine, came in to our class first thing. She told me that she knew we had our parties at the end of the day and that was normally the time for gifts, but because she had to work that afternoon she asked me to please open my gift immediately. She wanted to see my reaction before she went to work. She apologized before I opened it, telling me “nothing doing” but Alex bought me this! When I opened the package, YEP! You guessed it-a turtle! I stood there and cried. Of course, Elaine didn’t know what to make of this and told Alex she was “of a good mind” to spank him. I immediately explained to her my “turtle stories” that Alex had apparently overheard me telling, and how this was just another answer to prayer. I told her I felt like I had failed Alex and this was God’s way of showing me that Alex got what God meant for him to get that year in my class.

Alex graduated in 2006. He came to the new school where I teach now to let me know that he was graduating with honors. He did not want to go to college (I hope he changes his mind), got a good job in a town nearby making good money for such a young man, and came by my house to show me his new truck about a year ago. The students like Alex who go out of their way to share their victories and accomplishments with former teachers are special. It's wonderful that God is showing me He still has me where He wants me through experiences like this!