Concetti Chiave
- Post-graduation challenges include a transition from a busy study schedule to seeking economic independence amidst a global job crisis.
- An unexpected opportunity to tutor a high school student named Eric arises, despite initial reluctance towards teaching.
- Eric, a clever but unmotivated student, has a complex personality and a challenging family background that inspires a desire to help.
- Overcoming Eric's aversion to study involves discovering his deceptive tactics and fostering a relationship built on trust and understanding.
- The tutoring relationship is rewarding, leading to Eric's academic success, but is set to end due to the tutor's upcoming master’s program.
Post-graduation Reflections
When I was an university student I used tostudy many hours a day (about 9) and for this reason I was forced to leave all my hobbies. So one day, when I was very tired, due tomany difficult exams, I promised myself that after my degree I would have dedicated more free time for myself. Two months after my graduation and after a long time resting, I began feeling bored and unsatisfied because I was not used to have so much free time, but most of all I needed to be economically independent from my family. So I began to look for a job as a chemical engineer, in which I took my degree, but I didn’t find anything because of the current global crisis.
Meeting with Eric
One day I received a job offer as a private teacher through my mother’s colleague Antonella. She has a 16 years old nephew called Eric who attends the Scientific High School. Even if teaching wasn’t my ambition I accepted the offer after she told me Eric’s life story. She said that Eric’s mother died in a car crash when he was only 3 years old and after that terrible accident Eric was in her custody . I was immediately softened by Eric’s story and I felt the need to help that boy but…I had no idea about what was expecting me! Antonella is a teacher and of course she is able to help her nephew with his homework, but she finds it difficult to be severe with him. Ericis a very cute boy. He’s tall and thin, he has a very particular personality. He’s funny, crafty and stubborn, but above all he doesn’t like to study, even if he’s very clever. His favorite school subjects are biology, Italian literature and physics, instead he hates math, Latin and English grammar. He accuses me of being a severe and demanding teacher, but I’m sure he trusts me and thinks I’m a very understanding person;…I’m trying to say he sees me more as friend than as a teacher in fact he often asks me advice on girls or about trendy clothes, haircut, or about presents he has to buy.
Challenges and Successes with Eric
Eric started to take private lessons in November. He didn’t like studying and I had a feeling that he was telling me lies about his homework, so I started calling my cousin and his classmates every day to know the real homework he had to do and to get exact information about the dates of the school tests. I discovered his lies because he used t sign his homework he had to study with a star and one day he told me that the book he was using was a second hand one so the star wasn’t written by him. I understood it was a lie by the expression of his face and by the tremor of the voice. I told him I was disappointed by his behavior and he shouldn’t have acted like an irresponsible boy. He realized the mistake and apologized. It has been very hard working with Eric because of his way of being, but I’m glad to say that he’s having lots of successes at school and I’m very proud of him; my satisfaction is to see him studying with more motivation. I’m very close to him during these months, but I’m forced to leave him because I will start a master on energy in September.Eric might not agree about my choice, but I’m surethat one day he will understand me. I think he should try to study alone because now he’s a mature and responsible boy, but I must say that, If I didn’t have to leave Rome, I would still be his teacher .
Domande da interrogazione
- What prompted the author to start looking for a job after graduation?
- How did the author come to teach Eric, and what was their initial impression of him?
- What challenges did the author face while teaching Eric, and how did they address them?
- How did the relationship between the author and Eric evolve over time?
- Why does the author have to stop teaching Eric, and what are their hopes for him?
After graduation, the author felt bored and unsatisfied due to having too much free time and needed to become economically independent from their family, prompting them to look for a job as a chemical engineer.
The author received a job offer to teach Eric through their mother's colleague, Antonella. Initially, the author was softened by Eric's life story and felt a need to help him, despite teaching not being their ambition.
The author faced challenges with Eric's reluctance to study and his tendency to lie about homework. They addressed these by verifying homework with Eric's classmates and confronting him about his dishonesty, which led to Eric realizing his mistake and apologizing.
Over time, Eric began to see the author more as a friend than a teacher, often seeking advice on personal matters. Despite initial challenges, the author was proud of Eric's academic successes and felt a close bond with him.
The author has to stop teaching Eric because they will start a master's program on energy in September. They hope Eric will understand their decision and believe he is now mature and responsible enough to study independently.