How true this is. Kids who have faced deep trauma are often the most difficult to reach. Behaviors such as withdrawal, escape, and defiance are often what comes to surface. It’s easy to take it personally and mishandle the situation. (Been there. 🙋♀️🤦♀️)
While I don’t have the answers on how to handle every situation, I do know this…
Every kid deserves to be treated w/ love, dignity & grace.
EVERY SINGLE. DAY.
No matter what they’ve done.
No matter what they’ve said.
…No matter how they’ve treated you.
When we make it about us, we’ve missed the whole point. Schools don’t exist so that adults can have jobs. Schools exist for kids. And our job is about making every kid feel safe, cared for, and loved…
Every. Single. Day.
Don’t be the person who adds to their trauma by giving up on them. When the moments get hard, reach out to a staff member who is also committed to loving the kid.
Love them enough to reach them.
Love them enough to redirect their pathway.
Love them enough their merchant of hope.
Because the reality is… you may be all they have.
It’s easy to get discouraged by *that kid* and say, “I didn’t sign up for this.” The reality? Yes. We did. We did sign up for this. We signed up to teach KIDS.
🔸*That kid* who is crying every morning when they get to school? We signed up for it.
🔻*That kid* who is in the 5th grade and still can’t read? We signed up for it.
🔸*That kid* who is soiling their pants every day? We signed up for it.
����*That kid* who destroyed your classroom? We signed up for it.
🔸*That kid* who cussed you out last week? We signed up for it.
🔻*That kid* who ________________? We signed up for it.
If what we are doing isn’t working, try something different. *That kid* is going to need a different pathway toward success - filled with more patience, more compassion, and a lot more love.
Think about *that kid* in your class right now. Is your heart and mind in the right place? Don’t allow them to become a spectacle in your school, among the kids, teachers, or parents. Don’t allow them to become the topic of conversation at the lunch table. Protect them from that. Love them enough to change their story!
Sometimes it feels we are being tested when we're already struggling to keep our heads above water. When you find yourself in that place- it's a sign that you need to pause your thinking and look back on all that's been accomplished. Celebrate the wins- there are a lot of WINS💚
"As I experimented with how I responded to their achievements, I discovered four simple strategies."
@Tarn_Wilson via @edutopia
https://t.co/9dj33RjwMA
"Every child deserves a champion, an adult who will never give up on them. Is this job tough? You betcha. But it is not impossible. We're educators. We're born to make a difference." https://t.co/b5PckTnmvl
Self-awareness is a superpower. It means recognizing your strengths and weaknesses, and knowing where your skill gaps are.
It requires getting candid feedback. People who lack self-awareness or who get defensive in response to feedback shut down the growth process.
This NEW blog post from @LucyCalkins and @TCRWP coauthors captures some of what we are learning from the innovative powers that teaching through a global pandemic has unleashed. https://t.co/Z1u4W3bkzP
The present is not permanent. Your current reality is not fixed. It is one of life’s most important truths: You are able to choose and you are able to change.