Students, teaching, the grading system, and life experience

After I had released my class for the day, I took the bus to where I had parked. At one stop, I saw one of my students talking with a very animated little elderly lady. Whatever they were talking about, she believed fiercely in, since she was gesturing as if she thought she could swim through the conversation if she waved her arms fast enough.

It's refreshing to see one of your students (this one from the Bronx and has been absent 8 out of our 10 meetings so far) become so involved (and he was) with what I must assume is a near total stranger in a small town. I know he only arrived on campus this summer, and I've seen the lady around for far longer than he's been here.

( This makes me wonder about life experience and teaching in general )