A Salute to Student Dedication and Generosity

By Dave Loffert, Instructor, Literary Analysis

 

It is my great pleasure to tell you a story about two of my students in Literary Analysis, Extended Day Schedule, Fall Semester, 2010.  It is a story that more people should know about, I think.

A few weeks after the start of this semester’s classes in September, I received an email from Student Services notifying me that my student, Claudia Montoro, was facing a surgical procedure that would keep her absent from my class for a number of weeks. (As it turned out, Claudia was out from Oct. 14 returning to class on November 4.)  I was alarmed for her because she was out during the time period that students must use to get their portfolio work done and submitted to me for review. On the Extended Day schedule, our class meets just one evening a week for a three-hour class.

Now, here’s the satisfying news: While working with Claudia as to how we could approach her enforced absences during this busy time, she told me that a good friend of hers in our class, Angela Gonzalez, would be happy to convey class assignments to Claudia and then bring back Claudia’s written work to me each week. I was happy to learn of this voluntary arrangement but wondered if it would really work.

Well, we all used email heavily. Claudia got all her assignments done right on time (including the non-portfolio aspects of the course), and Angela faithfully brought the assignments to me directly each week in class. In addition, my wife, Dean Lin Loffert, also assisted. She would receive assignments from Claudia on days I was not at the school, bring them home to me, where I would review and comment on them, and then see that Angela Gonzalez carried them back to Ms. Montoro.  Each of us put in lots of time to help this situation work, and it really did.

Both Claudia and Angela could not have been more serious and reliable in this whole matter.  With so many students who are in apparent good health failing to meet assignment deadlines, look at the accomplishments of these two students! I must add that when Claudia came back on Nov. 4, she was having difficulty walking. I believe she had undergone foot surgery. Nonetheless, there she was, on time, and participating fully in each class.

I applaud their efforts and attitudes, and I know other Plaza associates will, too. What a gratifying experience the whole sequence was for me as a teacher. We continue to learn from our students many times, don’t we?