„Teacher, it feels so good to get a B! Thank you, teacher!” 

The power of a grade

Through patience, involvement and constant adaptation of activities to the needs of the students, teacher Oana Artene Piloiu, from Tilișca Junior High School, in Sibiu County, managed to transform the school experience of a child who had lost confidence in his own strenghts.

Using interactive methods, differentiated teaching and activities based on collaboration and support between colleagues, she created a safe and motivating environment, in which every progress was observed and valued. The impact on the student was profound: from fear and frustration, to courage, involvement and joy of succeeding. Obtaining a „B” grade became for the child not only a better school result, but the moment he truly began that he could more. The „B” grade is for ”Bine” în romanian, which means „Good”.

And the teacher described to us below the story of Robert from grade 1 – a story that surprised her in the most beautiful way. 

A difficult start

Robert came to school with poor literacy prerequisites, and this was noticeable from the first months of his activity. At the beginning of the school year, while learning the first handwritten letters, he was able to keep up. However, as the amount of information increased, it became increasingly difficult for him to remember all the letters. He constantly relied on the classroom charts to recognize the letters and to make the connection between the image and the initial sound of the word.

Reading and writing took him a very long time, and because of this, he often fell behind.

During tests, he suffered greatly when he did not achieve good results. He often said that he no longer liked school and that he did not want to come to classes anymore because he only received the grade “S” – S for Satisfactory.

I could feel his frustration, especially because I saw how hard he was trying. He worked, made efforts, and did not give up, yet the results did not always reflect the effort he put in.

Small changes, big effects

After going through the first three sets of books in the project (the resources “All Children Read – Educational Resources for Grade 1”), which were structured in a more attractive and interactive way, he began to gain more confidence in his own abilities.

Following a mentoring meeting with Ms. Maria Denov, I received the recommendation to apply differentiated teaching methods in the classroom.

I made several important changes:

• I reorganized the students’ seating in the classroom;
• I formed heterogeneous groups;
• I encouraged collaboration among classmates;
• I adapted tests and assignments according to each student’s level.

At first, I was skeptical. I did not believe that these seemingly small adjustments would produce noticeable changes.

A class that became a team

The results surprised us all. The children who were doing very well were happy to help their classmates who needed support. Explanations coming from peers sometimes seemed easier to understand and accept.

Gradually, the relationships between the children changed. The wall between “the strong ones” and “the weaker ones” began to disappear. The class became a true team.

The children began to notice and appreciate each other’s progress:
“Teacher, he reads better!”
“Now she writes faster!”
“He read very correctly!”

Every small progress was celebrated with applause and encouragement.

The moment that changed everything

After a few weeks, Robert achieved a “B” grade on a test.

I will never forget his reaction. He held his paper close to his chest and said:
“Teacher, it feels so good to get a B! Thank you, teacher!”

It was the moment when he truly began to believe that he could succeed.

I believe what helped him the most was that the tasks were adapted to his level, with a gradual increase in difficulty. The moment he felt that he was capable, he completely transformed.

Today, he participates actively in class, works with enthusiasm, and is much more appreciated by his classmates.

Robert’s story shows how much a differentiated approach, built on empathy, patience, and trust, can change a child’s educational journey. When teachers adapt the pace, methods, and tasks to the real needs of their students, school becomes a place where every child has a chance to succeed. Beyond grades, what truly matters is the courage to try, the joy of coming back to school, and the belief that “I can do it too.” For Robert, that “B” was more than a result — it was the beginning of self-confidence. He is among the 4,200 students in “scLipici” classes this school year, from vulnerable communities, where progress is not always uniform, but it is authentic, and every step forward becomes a victory shared by the entire educational community.

We aim for every child to learn to read and write by the end of fourth grade.

The “Glittery Schools” program is funded by Pepco Romania. The literacy materials used within the program were developed with the financial support of partners and donors.