I had become very tired and was planning to slow down for a short rest. Before doing so, I wanted to share a few unusual messages received during November—students who ranked first in their class or made especially large improvements.
The first student was already exceptionally strong, so a first-place result was not surprising. The message arrived simply as: first place in IB Chemistry.
Another student was the only person in the class to earn a 7 at a school where that grade was uncommon. An AP Chemistry student also reported ranking first on a unit assessment. Messages like these were always rewarding to receive.
A second IB Chemistry student earned the only grade 7 in the class, adding to an encouraging set of results.
One IGCSE Chemistry student had moved from a C near the bottom of the class to an A+. The topics we reviewed immediately before the examination appeared prominently on the paper, but the student still deserved credit for turning that opportunity into a much stronger result.
Another student had usually received grades between 3 and 5 in IB Chemistry. Within a few months, the score rose to the upper end of grade 6.
IA work was also progressing. A top student at a Canadian boarding school produced a full Chemistry IA draft during approximately eight hours of focused work. The draft was longer than the required submission, so the next task was to edit it carefully into the page limit.
An Indian student at a school with few Korean classmates also completed a full 12-page submission. Many other Chemistry IA questions were being resolved at the same time.
I was grateful to the students and parents who trusted the lessons. After that intense period, I planned to teach at a more sustainable pace for a while.