“Can you stay with me until I fall asleep?” she asks trustingly. I kiss her baby cheeks and cuddle in close. When disaster strikes, everyone is afraid. And while it is hard for us as adults to understand the travesty of it all, for children it is unthinkable. Hard to believe in hope when all …
Dear Teacher Who Wants to Quit: I am sorry. Sorry too that I must start first with regret. What a poor way to begin. But then. You are leaving teaching. And a void has already been left in the wake of this momentous decision. I feel that void. And sorrow too; for when decisions like …
Their little voices banter back and forth as I flit from desk to desk. Like a mother robin tending her young. I duck my head in and out, gauging the activity. Monitoring the learning. Watching that things are progressing. Teacher stuff. They, my little brood, are discussing something- and there seems to be a disagreement …
His little body tells me he means business. He power-walks away from me, even as I call out his name: once, twice, thrice. And then some more. He hears me, but he’s trying not to listen. It is apparent that he perceives my constant calling for he moves purposefully ahead, making an ever-widening arch as …
I found myself speaking sharply to a student this afternoon. There was nothing different about his behaviour- nothing truly out of character in his actions. He is quite hasty by nature under normal circumstances, and today was really no different than any other. And there really was nothing different about the moment, the circumstances surrounding …
http://media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/236x/f9/24/64/f92464279a6d42bbccbf9c9b0fc99675.jpg I cannot put two coherent thoughts together tonight. C.A.N.N.O.T. Tired, disillusioned. Exhausted. Teary. So bear with me. I may be on a rant. Youngest Daughter and Oldest Daughter, within thirty seconds of one another asked me these two questions: “I wish I could have a baby sister to play with after school…?” (because living …
I watch him build the wooden walls of his tower, painstakingly. One by one. They stand in solidarity for mere moments, only to topple before even I can add another brick. This is child’s play, and it is fascinating to watch him. These walls are made for crashing, in his view. In his mind’s eye. …
Truth be told, we are all often with people who express deeply felt emotions- strong feelings, irritation. About stuff that bothers them. Actually, I am that person at times- the person that feels strongly about the way things are going. About what is happening around me. Of course, this is life. We live, we love, …
“To educate as the practice of freedom is a way of teaching that anyone can learn. That learning process comes easiest to those of us who teach who also believe that there is an aspect of our vocation that is sacred; who believe that our work is not merely to share information but to share …
I turn ten for the fourth time tomorrow. That’s the big 4-0 to the rest of the world. As in, four decades. Bless it. I still can’t believe it. So cliche, I know, but until you’ve arrived, you will never fully appreciate how much your youthful brain is still telling you you’re not a day …
In this world, you will have trouble… There will be trouble. There will be sorrow. I sit one row back as my heart grows heavy. Prayer request after sorrowful request for those needing a special touch are called for. Requested for those needing a miracle. I turn to speak with a man behind me and …
I was reading a blog the other day that gave kudos to teachers, in support of Teacher Appreciation Week. It talked about the work that teachers do and acknowledged teachers and educational assistants as doing important, worthwhile things, in both academic and other areas, so as to support children and young people in their growth, …