Friday, November 16, 2012

Another Little Brother?

One of my math students is very quiet. He rarely answers a question with more than one sentence and never initiates conversation himself. All I knew about him is what his mom originally told me, the he plays football (which is why, when I met him, it surprised me that he's shorter than me and maybe 140 pounds soaking wet).

I feel a lot of empathy toward quiet young boys, based on my own experience. Talking to adults was pretty scary to me back then. There can be self-esteem issues. And while my own story was not traumatic, you never know what a boy may have faced. Bullying? Abuse? Disease? Divorce? Any number of things besides simple shyness could be weighing him down, could have him in a position where a positive male role model could make a real difference.

So when the hour's over, I ask him about the things that go along with football. I do most of the talking. Find out his favorite football team, his position, his favorite wide receiver, his favorite football video game. Sometimes it draws small but significant smiles out of him.

I like to think that this is how the Big Brother program works; do an activity, show a little support. If his life is wonderful and he thinks my conversation is just something silly that grown-ups do, so be it. But there's nothing for me to lose and everything for him to gain in case those three minutes of conversation happen to be the brightest sunshine he's felt all day.

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