I ended this week with an accidental flamingo twinning with one of my future little teachers. I’m starting to reflect and my spring teacher style might be the adult version of targets children section… matching camo pants with fourth grade boys, bacon t-shirts, and pink pants… I mean? Anyone else? Anyone else have a WEEK? If you know what I mean…
TUESDAY D E T A I L S
Top:Old Navy (size xs) | Pants:Old Navy (size 24 r) | Shoes:Target – Similar (size 7.5) | Necklace:Stella & Dot – Similar
WEDNESDAY D E T A I L S
Top: The Wright Stuff Chics (size s) | Jeans: Nordstrom (size 24) | Shoes: Old Navy (size 7.5) | Necklace: J.Crew Factory
THURSDAY D E T A I L S
Shirt: Target (size xs) | Jeans: Old Navy – Similar (size 0) | Shoes: Nordstrom Rack – Similar (size 7.5) | Earrings: Target
FRIDAY D E T A I L S
Top: J.Crew Factory (size xs) | Jeans: Nordstrom Rack – Similar (size 23) | Shoes: Old Navy (size 7.5)
This week was all about relationships. Relationships between myself and my students, my students and other teachers, and my relationships with other teachers. With the students on my caseload, I have such a close and trusting relationship with each of them. That has build built through their ability to push me to my limits and my ability to remain unchanged. One of our wonderful support teachers asked me this week, “How do you work such magic with ____?”
I responded with, “believing every day is a new day and lots of patience… When he realized my opinion wouldn’t change about him, he started to trust me” That is true but doesn’t really explain how I work this so-called “magic” with some of the most “challenging” students at our school. It’s a compliment, most definitely, but I don’t think I work magic at all. When I think of the magic that might be seen when working with this student, I see everything but magic. I see everything from a years worth of experiences.
I see him destroying every assignment I gave him for 2 months. I see him yelling negative statements at me and flipping chairs over. I see myself answering the phone to hear help is needed almost daily. I see myself leaving to help. I see myself sitting in meetings where I feel like we are taking a beating, every single time. I see him crying and shouting how bad he is. I see myself kneeling next to the front doors of our school telling him and his mom that every day is a new day and tomorrow is a new day. I see him finally starting to pick up a pencil. I see him finally starting to talk instead of yell. I see him finally starting to go to a safe place instead of running around the school. I see myself in a constant state of advocacy. I see myself working long nights because I decided to forgo any planning or lunches to support him. I see the excitement when he finally realized he could complete school work. I see myself sitting on the floor of my principals office crying and asking him to leave because I needed a moment. I see him expressing his emotions negatively towards other students. I see the lessons and instruction that was given each day. I see the difference in the way he sounds and looks after something might have happened at home. I see us standing for a picture with a laminated t-shirt with a fan that says, “I’m your biggest fan.” I see everyone else doubting him and I see myself never wavering. I see the exact moment that he realized I was a person he could trust.
There is such a misconception about relationships with students and possibly even when adults have strong relationships with challenging students. It is not a gift, magic, or something that only that one person can do. It’s a conscious choice by an adult to choose the child over their behavior and NEVER change that choice.
Maybe what I do every day is magic and if it is then each and every one of us has that magic. We have the ability to choose the child over the behavior. All teachers can do this. It doesn’t matter on class size or resources, it’s a personal choice. Within my personal experience, I believe kids know what you choose. To have change, we have to choose change.
What are you going to choose?
P.S- Clearly I had an emotional week… HA! Just another day in the life of being a teacher.
