Last week I sent a frantic email to a friend after I received a little visit from one of my students. As I look over the email now, I can chuckle at myself…I can be sooo dramatic! But at that time, I was truly having a mini freak out. Here is part of the message for you to read.
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I was sitting in my office getting ready for the day when one of my students paid me a little visit before classes. In her hands is a pile of papers and she's looking very nervous. She explains to me that there is a summer program that she really wants to experience and was hoping I could give her a recommendation. She really is an exceptional student and I can always count on her in class, so of course I said yes. Being inexperienced at this whole recommendation letter stuff, I allowed her to just hand me the papers and leave, instead of looking them over with her and asking her some questions. I just figure it's for some educational summer camp program here in Korea, but a reputable one that all the kids want to get into. In Korea, it seems everything is a competition though, so sometimes it's hard for us foreigner teachers to take these things seriously (FYI, this student is in sixth grade).
I was sitting in my office getting ready for the day when one of my students paid me a little visit before classes. In her hands is a pile of papers and she's looking very nervous. She explains to me that there is a summer program that she really wants to experience and was hoping I could give her a recommendation. She really is an exceptional student and I can always count on her in class, so of course I said yes. Being inexperienced at this whole recommendation letter stuff, I allowed her to just hand me the papers and leave, instead of looking them over with her and asking her some questions. I just figure it's for some educational summer camp program here in Korea, but a reputable one that all the kids want to get into. In Korea, it seems everything is a competition though, so sometimes it's hard for us foreigner teachers to take these things seriously (FYI, this student is in sixth grade).
Anyhow, I'm looking over all the documents and not even paying attention to the letterhead in which the documents were printed on. I'm noticing that the criteria for admission is pretty steep and I was thinking to myself, "Sheesh...she's just a KID, should she even be worried about all this stuff yet?" ... LOL. I then glanced at the top of the page and read the name of the school. At that moment I quit breathing for what seemed an eternity. I read the name again and my heart started pounding. I looked at the name one last time, hoping to GOD it had changed or I had misread the page, but I did not. I was staring at the letterhead of Stanford University. My student wants to apply to this Summer Institute Program at Stanford University. She would like me to be a reference on her Middle School Program application for Stanford University. I have to write a recommendation letter which will be sent to admissions at Stanford University.
It was in this moment that I realized, "Holy, moly...I'm a teacher?!"
And then came the erratic thoughts: How and when did this happen? I'm a person who gives academic references on behalf of students?! Do I really have this authority? Why do I feel a little inadequate? I can't believe Minju came to me wanting a letter! Wow...this feels pretty amazing and scary all at the same time.
I know she's only in grade six and maybe it's not that big of a deal....I mean, it's not a university application or anything, but this is my very first reference letter to anyone EVER. Why the f**k does it have to be to Stanford University?! lol.
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Just another ordinary day :)
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