Caught off guard - Jan

Think about your teaching this past week and then answer the following question: "What was the event that most took me by surprise - an event where I saw or did something that shook me up, caught me off guard, gave me a jolt, or made me unexpectedly happy?"

This week one of my former students came by to visit. Last year I thought that this student was very bright but lacked discipline and the drive to take her education to the next level. She did well on test, but never seemed to pay attention in class. When I would try to engage her, she was always polite and never acted out in class. She was friendly to me and to the other students. I never got the feeling that she was that into healthcare. She came to me last week and told me that she has enlisted in the Air Force reserves and wants to become a flight medic. I nearly fell in the floor. After I quickly recovered, I told her how proud I was of her and that thought she was making a wise and mature decision. I love to see these kids succeed.