Back of the Class Lesson

I was a part of a wonderful learning experience sitting on the back row of my fifth-grade math class. In school, I would always get nervous whenever I was called to go to the front of the class and write on the chalk board. Especially when it was a math problem. For years, I would get so nervous that my voice would go up a few octaves in which I would sound like a high pitch soprano singer. The kids in my class would laugh whenever I was called on by the teacher because they mocked my high pitch nervous voice.

Knowing how terrible I felt whenever I was called on by the teacher, I established a goal to make sure no one else would feel that same way.

Well, the opportunity presented itself in my fifth-grade math class. My teacher Mr. Broome randomly selected numerous students to solve a math problem on the front chalk board. I wasn’t called on to complete the problem but one of my fellow students was nominated to complete a complex math problem. Wanda went up the board along with a few other students and everyone completed their math problems and sat down. Wanda was still at the board trying her best to complete the problem as we starred at her. I had the right answer, and a few other students did as well. As she continued to struggle and erase and start over again, I saw some of the kids in the class begin to laugh and snicker as they watched Wanda struggle trying to solve this complex math problem.

As we all waited, there was only a few minutes remaining before our break time. As the bell ringed for break, Mr. Broome told Wanda that she can continue after she returns from break, and he dismissed the class. As the teacher went to break along with the children in class and I decided to remain in the classroom. As soon as I saw everyone left the room, I went up to Wanda’s breakdown on the chalkboard and changed her wrong answer to the correct answer. Then I went out to enjoy the remainder of our break time and then entered back in the room with everyone.

Mr. Broome called Wanda back up to the board to work on her problem. When Wanda looked at the board, she looked a little confused but told the Teacher that her solution of the math problem is finished. Mr. Broome asked Wanda to go through the problem and she did. After Wanda completed her explanation of the problem, Mr. Broome told her that she did a great job, and the answer was correct. The children in the room looked around puzzled because they knew that the answer was incorrect, and they couldn’t figure out how Wanda resolved the complex math problem. They were prepared to continue snickering and laughing at Wanda knowing that she did not know the answer. Wanda sat at her desk, and she didn’t mention anything at all to anyone. As the day ended and we left class, I never said anything to anyone as well.

The lesson I learned from sitting in the back of the class is to help your neighbor. Don’t be a part of the problem but be a part of the solution. Being a part of the problem would have been easy because all I had to do is join the other kids in class and laugh and snickering at Wanda. Anonymously helping Wanda allowed her to keep her esteem and dignity. I could of went up to Wanda after class and told her that I changed her answer but deep inside of me that would not have mattered. For on that day, I learned that you don’t have to always announce your good deeds. And the gratification I received from helping and not ridiculing my neighbor was far more rewarding than anything else. That lesson I learned from the back of my 5th grade class had flourished within my adulthood continuing the ongoing efforts ceasing the moments to be a silent servant leader.