It's overwhelming, sometimes, how much love can be felt for 150 kids that are not my own.
Today I assigned a journal: "One thing most people don't know about me is..." When they were finished, I led them through thinking about their classmates & silently identifying who they don't really know. They partnered up with someone they didn't know very much and went on a trust walk with them. Afterward, they shared their journal with their partner. Highly interesting results!
But the part that sparked something in me, truly, was the journal itself. It's amazing to me what some of the kids have been through already in 12 years. One of my advisory students wrote about how he was adopted when he was 4 because his biological parents beat him! I already knew the story, but to have him write it out from his point of view was heartbreaking. I read the journals after school today, and on my way home I could not contain all of my tears-- the river of sorrow broke on my cheeks. How could anyone beat this wonderful little boy when he was just 2 or 3? I can't even begin to fathom it. They're so honest with me, and I don't know if I can take it sometimes.
On the really down side, I sent two kids to ISSC with office referrals. We had 6 kids total from our team in ISSC-- that's insanity! We almost never have kids in ISSC & the ones that are in there are the repeat offenders. The teacher in there told me this afternoon she ran out of room in ISSC with all of the behavior problems. It must be the weather, or the fact that it is the last day of the 6 weeks...? Or maybe they're just love sick, since the Valentine's Day dance is tonight? Haha.
Regardless... I love these kids. I love my job. My assistant principal sent us a quote from a principal at a conference he attended this week, and it's really sticking with me too: "You aren't working here to teach-- you're coming here to save a life."
O, my cup runneth over.
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