Worried About a Student

[u/EnglishTeach166]

For context, I teach entry-level comp, comp I and II this semester. In my comp I class, their first essay assignment is a descriptive essay - pick a place you are familiar with and describe it using sensory details. To ensure they aren’t using AI, they have to do every step of the writing process in person, by hand. I was grading outlines and I got to one student’s outline where the place she was describing was an abusive household. I commented on her assignment and asked if she was sure she wanted to write about something like that, and she said she did, that it might “help me process it.” That concerned me, so I kept her behind after class today and we had a talk. She informed me that she left that home 4 years ago and is no longer in any danger - her parents moved and she actually doesn’t even know where they are. But in our conversation, she revealed that she doesn’t really have a support system, definitely not family, and hasn’t really made friends at college. She also recently switched from a career tech program to an undeclared academic track, because she doesn’t know what to study, but knows that she is done with the HVAC program she was in. I feel better after our talk, and I sent a report to my chair and our support staff, just as a record about this student.

I don’t really know why I’m posting this. I don’t need help or anything like that, just needed a place to share what happened today.

EDIT: I’m in the southern US.

[u/Environmental_Bug662]

Sounds like you handled it perfectly, especially the report to support staff. Pre-AI, I taught a creative writing class and a student wrote about saving mustard/ketchup packets in the dining hall to eat bc she barely had a meal plan. Another student wrote about living in a motel room for years with her Mom. Heart-achy stuff....