Salvete!
If you read the previous post about today's duty, you might have gotten a little laugh. I thought I would add this post separately because it deals with a different matter than goofy children acting a fool in the hallway. It involves one sweet child affirming the reason I do this job.
Once Joe had moved along, I switched sides of the hall, as I usually do, to assist with the flow of traffic. One of my former students walked by holding a sheet that looked like a withdrawal form. I called her back to me with concern, as she had been an at risk child, a Repeater when she had me for class last year. I asked her if that was a withdrawal form, and with the biggest smile I have ever seen on her face, she told me that, no, it was not. It was a form to show that she was graduating. She was positively ecstatic as I told her how proud I was of her and shared in her joy. She gave me a big hug, not something I am used to getting from students (Rule #3: Keep all physical items to yourself). I hugged her back, so glad to have been part of her life.
It has not been an easy road for her, and seeing the expression on her face was enough to remind me again, as I am reminded almost every day, what I come to this building to do. These kids are becoming whom they are going to be. I hope that I play a positive part in that. I hope that I never collectively contribute to a student giving up, or to a child losing hope. I hope I can teach them that yes, life is hard, and yes, you are going to have to work. Sometimes things will seem unfair. Sometimes it will seem like all of life is working against you. But, I want them to learn that if you work hard, you will probably succeed. Success is never a guarantee, but with hard work, it is a leaps and bounds more likely than if you do nothing.
Salvete,
Magistra
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