Gwen sat there waiting for the student in question to come forward. She was suddenly nervous that maybe she'd erred. Maybe she'd pronounced it incorrectly? While Cara was definitely informal, learning to read and write was a difficult task so she needed to build a good report with her students so they could work more easily with one another. With some having no secondary name at all, it was difficult enough but maybe she should have used the girl's actual name instead of the one Rowena had put in quotations?
Finally, the student in question came forward. Having been one that had needed a slate, Gwen struggled not to wince when the girl asked about the name.
"Oh dear, I hope you don't mind," she said softly, her voice less confident than it had been before. "My information comes from the roll taken in the common rooms. Lady Ravenclaw wrote Cara beside your full name so I thought you merely preferred it. I can use Caratacos henceforth if it would be your preference."
08-28-2022, 01:51 AM (This post was last modified: 08-28-2022, 01:52 AM by Cara Toirdelbach.)
To be honest Cara had slightly braced herself to either get lectured for wasting time for a stupid question or questioned why she would assume she needed to question it at all. Used to receiving such a reaction in the past it was almost automatic which is why she had apologized and hoped it would have not been given a second thought. Unfortunately it seemed she had been wrong both in her assumption and her expected reaction as the professor seemed to be apologetic for the mistake. She hadn't expect it and was left a little speechless for a moment.
She raised her free hand up and brushed aside some of her dark hair from her face, using the motion to unfreeze herself and think of a response that wouldn't make her come across as rude or stupid. "No no it's my fault Professor, Cara will be fine. I wasn't confident in guessing Lady Ravenclaw would have passed such a note along on my name from the roll call yesterday so I assumed my full name would be the one used by the professors. Whichever will be easier for you is fine with me but if its my preference you wish to use then Cara will do" Cara replied politely.
Well, that's a relief, Gwen thought to herself. She hadn't already messed up with what was essentially her first student of the year. While Kimberly could have qualified, they hadn't yet started together after the start of term. As far as Gwen had been concerned, she had only done what she had done in the past with many women in comparable situations.
"Then Cara it is. Now, why don't you set your results on the desk and then come around here and we can talk a little better." Since the girl had needed a slate, odds were that she was incapable of reading much, if at all. No reason to let anyone in the class find out on the first day. Children could be as cruel as adults sometimes, when it came to someone being different. While Cara was probably not the only one in the class with difficulty, there were others who wouldn't and would any advantage at school they could get.
Once the items in question had been placed where she had indicated, Gwen tucked the girl's paper into the file with Cara's name on it. When the girl was standing next to her, she smiled reassuringly before questioning, "So, let us start with you tell me how much and what kind of reading you have done in the past."
Cara swallowed back the lump forming in her throat as no sooner had the past the debacle over her name that she was being asked to come around to the other side of the desk. What did it have to do with testing her learning ability? Something in the professor's words had her mind shift away from her nerves, particularly as she watched the papers she set down on the desk get tucked into a folder with her name on them. It almost seemed like she was trying to keep it just between the two of them when it came to her reading test. Why though?
Not wanting to further stall what was still a bit of a nervous situation, she moved around the desk trying to not seem as nervous as she felt on the inside. She could get through this, the quicker maybe her level could be found the sooner she could get to acquiring what she needed from the lessons to come. She was here to learn after all, gain the knowledge and skills she would turn into making a life for herself without depending on anyone again.
"I can read a little Professor, a few words here and there but not much. My adopted father didn't hold the ability to read very high in my lessons as it wasn't as important to a blacksmith in his eyes. I'm fairly good with my numbers thanks to him and just before I made the journey here the noble family I was working for tried to teach me to read and write but our lessons didn't progress far. I can read my name and a few small basic words that would often come across on a daily basis but the rest I would either struggle to sound out completely or don't know how to read them. When the noble family was beginning my magical training they tried to see what I could read from their family spell book but I couldn't manage to read more than maybe three or four words, finding the harder I tried the more the words felt as though they were making my eyes cross" Cara replied in a quiet voice.
She looked at Gwen as she gave her honest and open answer. Maybe she should have grabbed the letter from the noblewoman and used that to point out what words she struggled with. It would have been of some help in showing what she could and couldn't read sort of, or did the professor already have a test in mind in seeing what she could do? Would it be like the lessons she had tried to do with the noble woman or would they be any different? With a younger and possibly more experienced professor to teach her maybe the lessons would better soak into her mind rather than turn her away from future lessons. Cara had to hope they would be different, she couldn't stand the lessons before as they dulled her nearly to sleep.
09-04-2022, 03:01 PM (This post was last modified: 09-04-2022, 03:01 PM by Gwen Moore.)
Hmmm, interesting. It was not the first time that she had heard in her time as a tutor - that words make one's eyes go crossed. There had been a few that could not read straight at all, simply because letters seemed to switch around on them. It would be something she knew to watch for and wondered if that was really the problem for Cara. Only one way to find out...
"Okay, knowing your sums will be a great advantage when it comes to potions class. I'll bet you'll be at the top, right from the start," Gwen said indulgently. "As for your reading," she shuffled around the little hand-made books on her desk and found the easiest one 'See Rob Run'. All the words were simple statement describing what commoners would do in a every day life. Every page had carefully drawn pictures and most of the words were less than four letters with only one syllable. It was the easiest thing she had and hopefully a good building block.
"Why don't you try reading this one quietly to me? Just try three pages so I have an idea of where we need to begin with your lessons," she said, leaning back in her chair and waiting for the girl to take the book from her so they could begin.
09-05-2022, 01:17 AM (This post was last modified: 09-05-2022, 01:18 AM by Cara Toirdelbach.)
Cara hadn't really thought her knowledge and experience with numbers would do any good while she was here at school focused primarily on magic so when the professor said it was an advantage she couldn't help but be a bit stunned and surprised. She hadn't expected it for sure though the subject of potions was one she wasn't very familiar with either. The noble woman hadn't any time to teach her much on the subject if at all. The only thing maybe close to it was a few lessons on specific herbs but Cara hadn't been sure the two subjects could be connected. From the sound of Professor Moore's tone of voice though, having an advantage in potions seemed to be a good thing and making a place at the top of the class may be the good thing to do. She put the information to the side, wanting to not just look in to the matter a bit more but maybe wait until the class itself to see if there really was such an advantage for her or if the professor was simply trying to ease the nerves from her mind given the subject of the current class.
She slowly looked down at the book being offered as Professor Moore explained the next part of her test. It looked a little more like a hand-made book, similar to one her adopted father had her learn her numbers and a few words from when she was little. Pulling back at her hesitation, Cara reached out and gently took the book. Upon pulling it a little closer to herself for a better look she took note of how much better it looked then her adopted fathers, at least the cover was readable right away. She slowly opened the book a few pages in not sure where the professor wanted her to start. All she had said was to do three pages but nothing very specific as far as which ones. It gave her a moment as she did so to glance up and out at the room, nervously checking to make sure no one was looking and watching her at the professor's desk. She didn't want to stand out or be noticed and thankfully it seemed everyone was busy with something in front of them and wasnt looking towards them, at least not that she could notice.
Turning back to the book open in her hands, Cara looked down at the large but clear words on the page. She swallowed back her nerves as she looked over the words trying to read them in her mind. They were easy but one or two seemed to come up as blank in her mind. With a small exhale of breath she pushed herself mentally forward, she had come here to learn how to survive and thrive with her magic and without anyone else, if this was part of it then she had to do her best to learn it just as much as everything else.
"Rob has a cat. The cat is fat. A rat sat on a mat. The rat had a nap. Robe gave the rat a hat" She read quietly at a level just the two of them would only be able to hear. So far so good she though turning to the next page. "Tom is Robs pal. Tom has a ol, his ol is red, the ol gave Rob a jab, now Rob is red."
Cara continued on for the rest of the page then to the next, her struggle seemed to be with words that had w's for the most part as well as words that were supposed to sound the same but because they were spelled differently such as no and know she spoke them differently. When she finished with the third page, Cara looked at the professor beside her, unsure and nervous to know just how badly she had done.
Gwen listened carefully as Cara read to her, immediately recognizing the pages. Since she was the one that had written the books, it wasn't hard to do. Nodding along, she paused when the girl hit her first mistake. However, she said nothing nor did she write anything down on the parchment with Cara's name written on it for notes. It simply would not do to destroy her confidence completely.
It was only when the young woman had finished that Gwen held out her hand for the book. "Now, you did very well. There were a mistake or two but then, some of those words can be a little difficult," she assured Cara. "For example..." Gwen set the book down on the desk with it open to the right page. "this word is owl." She pointed to the word in question. "It's a tough one, I know. Overall, an excellent first attempt and I now know where we need to begin." Gwen wanted to touch her hand reassuringly, make her understand that she had done well.
However, Godric had insisted that these students be different than the ones from the past. She couldn't be quite so informal as she had been before now. There had to be a level of respect or they would walk all over her. It really wasn't in Gwen's nature not to be personable and friendly. Stiffness had no place in a classroom, in her opinion. With no report, then it was hard to connect and reach those in the toughest spots.
"Thank you for starting everything off. I do believe that you have the building blocks you need. It'll just be about practicing now but we'll get to that next lesson. As for your writing, it will take a little work but I believe in you Cara and I know Lady Ravenclaw does as well." She wouldn't have been sorted into the house of intelligence if there wasn't the thirst to learn inside the girl. It would all just depend on where that thirst was directed. Reading and writing were going to open a whole world of knowledge to her and Gwen couldn't wait to see the amazement Cara would feel when she finally realized what wonders awaited her with the right skills.
Cara took note of the professor extending a hand first, silently requesting the book back and she couldn't figure out if that was a good sign or a bad one. Maybe she should have tried harder to pay attention to reading lessons. It wasn't her fault the lessons were dull enough to put a rooster to sleep as he crowed at sunrise, maybe if they hadn't been so she would be in a better position and maybe she wouldn't feel so nervous and sure she had just done horribly on her first class of the day.
She handed the book over, holding back on gripping her fingers into a fist until they were hidden from view hanging by her side when she lowered her hands down. Thankfully as the professor finally spoke, her reassurance that Cara had done well seemed to help ease up on the tense state of her frame. Not much though as Professor Moore then politely pointed out the few mistakes she had made and it turned out to not be as many as she had first thought. The ones that seemed to get her were the ones with letters that didn't sound out as they did in her head. With practice as the professor went on to mention she would get better at it and with luck that wouldn't take very long and she could move on to more important lessons and training.
Cara stood stunned for a few moments, the words Professor Moore had just spoken not just swirling in her mind but for some reason around her stone heart. While she didn't think she deserved a thank you for nervously having to go first on the reading test it had been the next part that had gotten to her. No one had believed in her before, well, they hadn't said it out loud or that she believed they actually meant it. Her father had said it maybe once or twice when they had worked together as he taught her the ins and outs of a blacksmith but after abandoning her she knew he hadn't meant anything by it. She couldn't help feel the same way when the noble woman had said it during their first wand lesson, as much as she had wanted to it was still a deep wound in her heart at the time that just didn't let those words sound anywhere close to sincere as much as they could have possibly been. Though since the noble woman had also dumped her now here at the school Cara could only assume she hadn't meant it either.
This time though, something didn't feel the same from either of those times. Something about this or maybe the words felt different but just what she wasn't all that sure. The only thing she could tell was that it had shaken her guard enough to get through deep enough to stun her for a moment and ponder what she wouldn't normally anymore. She blinked, finally pulling herself from her deeper side as she realized Professor Moore had asked if she had any questions. While she couldn't very well ask about what was on her mind at the moment she tried to think if there was any on her mind outside it.
"No questions Professor. None except what you would have me do next now that my test is complete?" Cara replied politely and her voice still slightly quiet to not be heard beyond the professor's desk. While she didn't want to hope to much that this was her que she could take off and do something until it was time for the next class, with her writing turned in and reading test done she wasn't sure what she was supposed to do now while the rest of the students were tested on their reading as she had just been.
Gwen looked surprised when Cara asked what she should do next. She'd thought that when she'd mentioned it at the end of her announcements and before calling the young woman up to the desk, it would have been clear what was expected of them. Still, this was the first students and Cara still seemed a little hesitant about this whole thing. She probably didn't want to step out of line. At least, not yet.
Reaching into her desk drawer, she pulled out a small journal book with the Ravenclaw crest on the front. There were about fifty pages of parchment bound in the book, white and fresh as could be. "This is your practice book for when you are not in class." Opening the cover, she showed Cara the first page with the alphabet carefully printed on a lined piece of paper and then showed her that the rest of the pages were lined yet blank. "I hope you will use it well.
"As for what you should do now, unless you would like to stay and work some more on your letters, you are excused to return to the common room to prepare for your next class. I bid you good luck on your first day and hope that it is enjoyable." Gwen sat back, allowing the young woman to choose whatever path she wanted without pressure from her teacher.
09-07-2022, 07:09 PM (This post was last modified: 09-07-2022, 07:09 PM by Cara Toirdelbach.)
Whether or not the Professor had in fact mentioned something before calling Cara up she may have missed it in her nervous and muddled mind at the time. Now that it was settled enough to register the answer she did feel a bit of relief that for the most part it was over for today at least. She looked down at the book as her teacher held it up, taking the few seconds to admire the cover before it was opened to show the pages on the inside. Instantly her mind wondered what was she to do once the pages were full? Did she come get another book or use single pages and tuck them into the end of the book?
Rather than ask she simply took the book as it was held out for her to take, holding it securely at her side until she could as the Professor told her essentially that she was welcome to stay but if she wanted to she could also return to her common room until it was time for the next class. Perhaps the only good side of having to go first. Cara wondered if she had to stay in the common room or if she could perhaps venture out to somewhere else in the castle. It would be a nice chance to go shoot her bow for a little while and help ease the remaining nerves from her mind until it came time for the next class and a whole new bundle of nerves formed.
"Thank you Professor Moore. I hope the rest of your day is enjoyable as well" Cara replied politely. Then calmly she took a step back before turning around. She shifted the book a little closer to her side as she moved down the row between the tables and headed for the door. As much as she probably should have stayed and waited for the class to end she had the calling desire for fresh air louder in her mind. Even if she couldn't get to the archery targets at least getting to step outside and breath in some mountain air would do. As quietly as she could she opened the door and stepped out into the corridor, her destination mapped in her mind as the door closed behind her with a light click.
