Learning to Fall | Teen Ink

Learning to Fall

April 15, 2018
By EmilyCahill SILVER, New City, New York
EmilyCahill SILVER, New City, New York
7 articles 0 photos 0 comments

Mr. Roger Richardson is my AP physics C teacher at Clarkstown High School North. Mr. Richardson has taught me so much more than just physics, he has taught me how to fail. School has always come easily to me, I’ve never really struggled with material or tests at any level, until physics. A challenging subject in itself add calculus and I was completely lost, so I was almost always at extra help, which Mr. Richardson offered every day after school, something no other teacher does. It came time for our first quiz and I was confident, I had put more work in then I had ever before, I got a 65, a grade I had never come close to in my life, so I immediately ran to Mr. Richardson after school on the verge of tears determined to drop the class. Mr. Richardson calmed me down and convinced me to stay, reassuring me that this quiz would be nothing in the big picture. I worked harder, leading up to the first test, and Mr. Richardson was certain to answer all my questions, and I was ready, or so I thought. The test quickly spiraled out of control, by the end I was in tears, certain I had failed, Mr. Richardson calmed me down again and said to wait for the results. That night still upset Mr. Richardson texted me the question to question updates as he was grading my test, reassuring me that everything would be okay. I somehow managed a decent grade on that test, and an A in the class, but not without hard work, Mr. Richardson taught me that a grade doesn’t define you, it’s about the work you put in. He always made himself available when I had questions, and turned the class I was terrified of and determined to drop, into one of my favorite classes and my potential major in college. Because of Mr. Richardson, I have learned that everyone falls, but that does not mean you will not succeed.



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