Every Day: A Gift

You never know when the opportunity to make a difference will present itself. Yesterday, while I was prepping for the school day, a student popped into the office at 6:30 to ask if she could chew gum during our state assessment exam, which was being held later in the day. I answered her question and then asked her, "How are you feeling about it?"  She replied, "… kind of nervous, honestly." 

We took a few minutes and chatted about the fact that the day's test was just a snapshot in time, a way to help the adults know how much she has grown, for her to know how much she has grown, and that it is just one moment on the timeline of her educational career. It doesn't mean that she's a good or bad person, and that this is an opportunity to have fun and and and to be excited to tell a story (it was the composition exam). A little nervous is an ok thing, I told her - it might even help her - to try to use her feelings to help her. It was just a quick conversation – maybe only two minutes long. 

After the exam I saw her again and I said "Hey...how did it go?" And she replied, "It went better than I thought it it would. I'm glad I talked to you this morning." I don't even know if she realized how impactful her words were when she told me that she was glad we had chatted – but it made me remember: whether it be a quick smile, a high-five, or a hello, educators impact students' lives. We may not always realize it - but we can make a student's day, inspire him or her, or even intervene when they needed a vote of confidence the most. As educators, we get a gift every day - to make a positive impact on our students' life. Let's make sure we take that opportunity every day to help our students. You never know when the opportunity might arise.

Comments

Unknown said…
Great post. I am a believer in the building connections with our students. I am sure you have watched Rita Pierson's TED Talk on "Every Child Needs a Champion" http://www.ted.com/talks/rita_pierson_every_kid_needs_a_champion

She talks about the importance of connections. Kids need to know that we are there for them.
7:59 PM
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