A Student of Mine

I thought I’d share this story with you as it touched my heart earlier this week. For around 5 years now I’ve been teaching this boy who is in foster care. He has always been really quiet and doesn’t really show his feelings, but he is a great kid. One time after I’d been teaching him for many weeks, he finally plucked up the courage to say something to me, and he said,“when you are leaving do you ever look up? I said, “no, why?” He replied, “because every week I stand in the front window upstairs and wave at you, but you never wave back”. I felt so sorry for him at the time, so sure enough, at the end of that lesson I looked up for the first time and there he was waving enthusiastically. I couldn’t help but feel sad that for weeks he must have thought I was ignoring him.

Anyway, I’ve never known about his history and recently I was told by his foster mother that he stole her sisters ipad. This was a huge shock to everyone as he is literally the last person you would expect, but unfortunately because the police had already been notified before he confessed, he is now under review. This obviously caused the dam to break because his foster mother told me on the phone that he suddenly opened up to her telling her about what happened to him in his past. He also disclosed that he cries himself to sleep every night; she said he was basically like a tap letting out all this stuff he had been holding in. I’ve known him for so long that it felt like a knife to my heart to know this little kid was suffering so badly. Anyway, I told his foster mother to waive the lesson fee for this morning and to give it to him. I know money doesn’t solve problems like these, but to a kid, it’s a way of showing that he is loved. She told me to give it to him myself.

So today, at the end of our lesson, I gave him my fee plus £10 and his face lit up like a Christmas tree, and then he hugged me. I told him to spend the money on whatever he wanted and that I gave it to him because of how great he is. I told him that he can achieve anything in life and that I’ve got his back no matter what. Breaks my heart to think what he has been through in his past. I still have no idea but it’s horrible to even contemplate it.

 

@Ed209,.
I was a childminder for many years and also for the Social Services and went to meetings involving all the care professionals for that child.
One whom wanted so much for me to foster her and adopt her...
Sadly I couldn't due to bedroom space but was like a daughter to me..
Now grown up with children of her own..

love glynis

 

That doesn’t surprise me, Glynis, as you are the epitome of caring. It’s really tragic to think what some of these kids have been through.

 

@Ed209,
One boy in particular had special needs,he had red curly hair and a smile to light up the world.
His time with me gave his family a break .......

This just goes to show that each and everyone of us can make a difference but together we can move mountain's.
I hope in 2019 we can look back over the year knowing we made a difference, weather supporting Tinnitus and Hyperacusis sufferers on here and the Tinnitus Hub facebook group or getting involved more behind the seens.

love glynis

 

Although I teach guitar and music, part of my job is pretty much counselling people. This was actually brought up at a teachers seminar I attended in London, the fact that part of our job involves counselling - whether we want it to or not - because it involves people. At the start of most of my lessons there is a period where people like to get things off their chest.

 

Great job Ed! You definitely made that kids day / week. He also now knows he has a friend he can talk to!

I never knew you were a music teacher! I'm glad to see your tinnitus isn't holding you back.

 

Yea, I teach privately using my acoustic.