A teacher helps a student with a math problem.
Credit: Sarah Tully /EdSource
I am still making peace with a difficult truth. I am not sure I did enough for my students during my short tenure as a teacher.
After two years as an intern, I held a preliminary credential and felt ready for my sixth grade class. Then I was quickly thrown into a new eighth grade class due to dropping enrollment at Los Angeles Unified School District. Just like my students, I felt awkward and uneasy — brand new again. I studied hard and quickly. I had amazing students who learned with me. But, I still think about Luis, a smart young man who struggled with reading, yet could understand complex concepts.
Luis and I both worked hard but needed more support than we were getting. I woke up at 3 am daily as we approached eighth grade promotion trying to think of how to reach him while there was still time. Unfortunately, by the end of…
