To my students,
I hope you are well this holiday season.
If you're receiving this message, it's because you are a current or former student this semester, or the parent of a current or former student.
My initial plan was to mail each of you students a small gift via Amazon. But after some agonizing and vacillation, I have decided to make a donation for each of my students this semester, split between international aid for Syrian refugees and domestic hunger programs.
If any of you feel that this is against your wishes or beliefs, please let me know. While tutoring, we tend to focus on the material at hand, and frequently have less time to understand each other as individuals. I welcome contrasting views, and will accommodate them through an alternative.
I hope you are well this holiday season.
If you're receiving this message, it's because you are a current or former student this semester, or the parent of a current or former student.
My initial plan was to mail each of you students a small gift via Amazon. But after some agonizing and vacillation, I have decided to make a donation for each of my students this semester, split between international aid for Syrian refugees and domestic hunger programs.
If any of you feel that this is against your wishes or beliefs, please let me know. While tutoring, we tend to focus on the material at hand, and frequently have less time to understand each other as individuals. I welcome contrasting views, and will accommodate them through an alternative.
When we started tutoring, two choices were made: you chose to work with me, and I chose to work with you.
On the first point, thank you. I thank your families for their trust, and thank you for your hard work. In many cases, you have trusted me not only with subject knowledge and test preparation, but also broader educational questions, college planning, and, most consequential of all, personal stories of crisis, pain, hope, and ambition. It is rare that I have time to really express the gratitude I have for that trust, and I hope that I am working to be worthy of it. I could do better, I know. If you have specific requests for improvement, do let me know.
And, yes, I chose you. In this job, I have been fortunate to work to a place in which I have the luxury of choice. With some families and students, the philosophical, emotional, or ethical fit is just not right, and we go our separate ways.
I chose you because you are willing to work. I chose you because learning isn't just about the drudgery of work -- it's about the difference between living and existing. I chose you because you display intelligence and energy. I chose you because you and your families exhibit qualities of character that I admire. But remember, most of all -- I chose you because of the person you are right now. Who you become is important, but secondary, and will be an ongoing process that will continue long after my time with you has ended.
On the first point, thank you. I thank your families for their trust, and thank you for your hard work. In many cases, you have trusted me not only with subject knowledge and test preparation, but also broader educational questions, college planning, and, most consequential of all, personal stories of crisis, pain, hope, and ambition. It is rare that I have time to really express the gratitude I have for that trust, and I hope that I am working to be worthy of it. I could do better, I know. If you have specific requests for improvement, do let me know.
And, yes, I chose you. In this job, I have been fortunate to work to a place in which I have the luxury of choice. With some families and students, the philosophical, emotional, or ethical fit is just not right, and we go our separate ways.
I chose you because you are willing to work. I chose you because learning isn't just about the drudgery of work -- it's about the difference between living and existing. I chose you because you display intelligence and energy. I chose you because you and your families exhibit qualities of character that I admire. But remember, most of all -- I chose you because of the person you are right now. Who you become is important, but secondary, and will be an ongoing process that will continue long after my time with you has ended.
Doubts you may have, and goodness knows this has been a tough semester for all of us. But I wouldn't be around if I doubted your potential, your character, or your commitment.
It might not mean much, but in case it means something: I have the luxury of choice, and I chose you.I am incredibly proud of each of you.
John Watson (no, not the fictional one) once said, "Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle." You might not be scrambling for your life off a Greek island. You might not be going hungry. But I know, somewhat, the pressure, the pain, and, in some cases, the mourning you have experienced. It is unproductive and wrongheaded to compare trials -- whatever crucible you find yourself in, please know you have my support and an open offer for a chat.
A special note to the seniors: you will be fine. You are all going to go to college, to a good one. Once there, you will find your people, however you choose to define, and redefine that concept. If you got into your dream school -- great! If you didn't -- great! For each of you will ultimately be judged by things more fundamental, more challenging, and more important -- character, judgment, work ethic, emotional intelligence and health. Without going into too much detail, please learn from my mistakes -- you are as much or as little as you choose to make yourself, and if you reduce yourself to a grade, a score, or a degree, you do grave disservice to your humanity and those who have worked to build you up. Be kind to yourself too -- sometimes this is hard, but it's always necessary.
I hope you get some time to be alone this break -- alone with your thoughts, with your memories, with your feelings. It's easy to crowd these out during school, and easy to do that during break with everything the Internet has to offer. Take a bit of time to check in with who you are, and what you value.
I'm trying to do that, and that's why you're getting this letter.
Be well this break.
Happy Holidays,
Ryan
Be well this break.
Happy Holidays,
Ryan
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