It's Up to Us!

     I got an email the other day. It was entitled “You have the power to change a child's life.” I thought to myself, “Yes! This is what teaching is all about.” Teachers are tasked with making a difference in the lives of the children in their classes each and every year. Not just the children they WANT to have, but each and EVERY child that walks through their door.

     The startling facts are that some of our students have a less than idyllic life at home. There is poverty, substance abuse, joblessness, and a myriad of other events going on in their homes that takes away from them just being a kid. Many are handed a screen to keep them occupied, rather than healthy, family conversations. Many go to bed with a television blaring in their rooms, rather than cuddling with an adult, calming down from a busy day of being a kid, and hearing a bedtime story. Many have parents who are “just too busy” to spend quality time with their children.

     This is where teachers come in. We can't fix what's happening in their homes. But what we can do is provide our students with a place where they can learn, explore, and be challenged all while being loved, supported, and safe. We can let them be a kid without baggage. Just let them be little!!

     The email I received last week made me think of a student I had in kindergarten a while back. After Christmas Break, the children were all so excited to tell me what they got, that I had to stop what I “thought” was important and just let them take turns sharing. Little did I know that this would be such a memorable activity for everyone in the class! I am changing this particular child's name to “Adam”for his privacy. Here is his story:

     “Adam” is one of three children and the middle child. Mom was volatile and in a volatile relationship. All three children slept on the floor and were usually awakened by screaming matched between the adults in the home every night. Grandparents stepped in when they could or were allowed to. Fast forward to the day after Christmas Break. As we went around the Sharing Circle and each child shared about their Christmas gifts, we came to “Adam.” The question I had asked each child in the room was, “What was your favorite thing about Christmas Break?” (knowing that some of my students would not get the high-dollar items that others did. This gave them an opportunity to share anything they felt was special).

“Adam,” who didn't share much on a regular basis, launched into the most beautiful story I have ever heard from a young child! He told his friends about his favorite Christmas memory. It was a story about cuddling up in a rocking chair with his grandma while she read him the “real story about Christmas,” and watching the snow fall. As he told the story, the rest of the children got very quiet, their eyes were huge! It was almost as if they were in that rocking chair, cuddled under a blanket with him. 

 For me, this was the affirmation of what I believe: children don't really want things. They want time. If they aren't getting time at home, we can, and should, give them time at school. It's all about relationships!