I am envious of one of my students...

I disagree with IsitAbnormal. Don't keep in touch with his him or his family or check on him, it's not your place to do so. That's stalking and you sound like a pedophile. Stick to your job and do it within the boundaries of your job. He's not a helpless orphan and does not need any additional attention from you. Quit fantasizing.

He's very smart and obviously has strong character because he doesn't feel the need to conform like other high school sheep do but at the same time he stands up for himself when needed.

He doesn't need you to look after or out for him. He'll do just fine by himself. He will most likely build an excellent career where he will make a lot of money, marry a super-model and have good looking and smart kids, there isn't a role for you in all that. He has his life, don't force yourself into it. He also has parents who obviously know what they are doing since they got him to the place where you are admiring him. Do your job and teach, end of story. Most likely he is going to be focusing on other subjects and not English as he develops his career and education plan, so there really isn't a role for you beyond teaching this class and teaching it well.

What you can do for yourself:
Try taking some challenging courses at a nearby college so you can interact with more smart people since it looks like that's what you're missing. Don't take stupid English or humanities classes - take either math, physics or chemistry - if you have at least a year of college chemistry then go directly to organic chemistry you will meet a lot of brainiacs there who are not children, also by your second organic chemistry class you will be able to tell just by looking at the formulations which products are making false claims and which ones actually work - it's fantastic, you can even make your own and sell them and make a lot of money. I got carried away.

You need smarter friends.

Is this Mr. West

Most people in the world can be lumped into categories based on personality. Every now and then you'll get someone who just seems to break boundaries. I've met none but my dad has.

You should admire these people, they're the kind who get far.

There is always going to be someone that is 'better' than you (I mean, not in a patronizing way or anything), and you just have to have an open mind that sometimes they are a lot younger...um, but I think it's really sweet that you want to help him in his life. As long as you don't become obsessed or infatuated or something, I'm sure he would /really/ appreciate the extra help in life. I wish my teachers cared that much :)

That's normal.
Just keep in touch with him/his family... check on him once in a while.

i think its normal for u to admire this guy so much and i think you might be gettin your feelings confused

well, it sounds like you have a student that is worth admiring and i think it is completely normal for you to feel this way. i say admire, because as you are a teacher it isn't the greatest idea for you to 'like' him, but from what you've written it doesn't sound like that. so yeah, it's normal, i don't see why it shouldn't be normal really.

It's normal to admire his superiortiy & all that. falling/admiring inconceivably/or whatever.. I guess it's normal if he is that outstanding. Or maybe, you were just used to slow students for a while then when he came, he suddenly blew you away. & for your "admiring" issue, I guess you were only overwhelmed by the fact that "miracle happens." :)

So you admire or are falling for? I can't tell.
Help him on his way to where he wants to be and I'm sure you'll feel better about it. Admiration is normal.

Well, I've never wanted to be in a relationship with any of my pupils, but wanting them to do well is good. Teachers who don't care about their students aren't good teachers.

He/She said highest in that school.... take ur "pwned" back and read. But anyways...You already know that its not okay for you to go for this student in that manor, but on the other hand i see it as perfectly fine for you to want him to achieve and by what you said im sure he will.

this kind o test are really bloated, the guy ave much more to show then a little test for school kids to tell who is best in the dumb opinion of some freaking researcher.

if u want to help, find out what he really like and guide him to do something he loves, he will for sure make amazing things!

watch notes on a scandal. Admire from a far do not touch!!

We all like genius lads.

Wonderful feeling of course is normal when the person is extraodinary you can almost sense it and feel it when you are around them and some people are jealous and ridicule or interogate while other intelligent people like your self are drawn to him like a magnet......

course it is, most people you teach are probably stupid, so when someone with a chance in life actually comes along your bound to be impressed

he's probably emotionally autistic

Kay...