There is no place more diverse in a high school than a freshman CP World History class. It is a melting pot of every fourteen-year-old who realizes that history is a required class, and that for an hour every day, they have to attempt to wrestle with the Hindu caste system or representative democracy alongside their peers. When I step into this room as their TA, I don’t see nameless freshmen, but rather twenty different perspectives, home lives, and learning styles. I see an environment where I can be the connection between student and teacher, and watch young adults figure out who they are.

Even in a few short months, I have watched these students learn, grow, and connect with one another. A girl surrounded by her friends asks me for opinions on her new haircut as her friends giggle behind her. Across the room, I see the girl in the corner slide a coloring sheet and markers to the student next to her as he joins her in filling in elaborate flowers to occupy their minds. The teacher asks a question about the Roman Empire, and that same boy answers with passion, excitedly describing the democratic system as his friend takes notes. On the rare occasion that he falters, the girl behind him looks up and delivers the perfect answer; this is the first time she has spoken all day. 

From this experience, I have learned when to step in and when to step back. I discovered that each approach to help a student must be individually tailored to who they are, and how they learn. As seating arrangements shift, I learn how the students connect with those around them, and how I can help them bridge the gap between themselves, the lesson, and the teacher. Stepping away from my IB courses and into the world of ninth graders has opened my eyes to the diverse perspectives around me, and that empathy is the only way to truly understand them.