Day 29: The Reminder

Today I realized why I teach.  I was reminded about the impact that I have the opportunity to make on a child.  I remembered that I have the ability to make a child's day great or terrible.

If you read my post yesterday, you might remember the student I was talking about.  Today I got a message from her mom saying that the child had had a really rough morning at home with a lot of tears involved.  Mom was concerned about how her day at school was going and hoping that it was better than the morning had been.

I reassured her that she was doing just fine but that I thought all of the many, many, MANY testing sessions were really taking a toll.  I feel like that is why she was struggling in the classroom, at least.  The poor girl would hardly be in the classroom for 10 minutes and someone else would come and ask if they could pull her for another session of testing.  She was exhausted today and it showed.

Finally, at lunch time, the speech teacher come and asked if she could pull her again after lunch.  I told her no.  I never tell anyone no because I always try to be as flexible as I possibly can.  But today I told her no.  I told her how exhausted the student is and how much this testing is taking out of her.  I told her how little time she gets to spend in the classroom doing anything remotely fun.  I also told her that if she did take her today she would get very little accomplished because she just doesn't have it in her today.  Luckily, the speech teacher said she'd give her a break and get her tomorrow.

Small victory.

I let the child's mom know today that I was doing everything I could to make her afternoon as fun and relaxed as possible.  She'd get to go to gym, do a literacy activity on the iPad, have recess and snack and spend some time with her peers in the classroom like normal!

Her mom's reply was so appreciative that she had me in tears.  She had no idea just how much the testing was impacting her child but once I told her then everything at home suddenly made more sense (to both of us!).  She was so kind about telling me how much she appreciates everything I have done and continue to do for her child that I had tears running down my face as I read her message.

That is why I do what I do.  That is why I fight for this girl every day.  Because I am the one who is lucky in this deal.  I have learned so much from this child.  I honestly don't know what I will do without her in my class next year.  This child is under my skin (in the best way) and she will remain there forever.  She will always be the one I look back on and miss, wonder about, and hope for.

I needed to hear that today.  I needed the reminder.

I appreciate this child and what she has taught me.