Reaching Out and Getting In...

Last Friday and today I had two of those warm, fuzzy, I'm a good teacher moments. :) (toot toot....me tooting my horn).

Friday: I have a pair of sisters in one of my classes. They are absent often. One sister is mature and polite (B), the other is her antithesis (C). Friday I stopped the girls before class and chatted with them about their attendance. Ok, I threatened them that if they don't start getting their butts to class, they will find themselves taking tenth grade English all over again. During class B came up to ask me something so I in return asked her if everything at home was fine. She was suprised I think and simply told me she didn't want to discuss it during class. I told her I understand and that we should talk after. I learned that B and C are homeless with their mother. They are living at a homeless shelter and have been in and out of shelters for two years. Their father left when they were 7 and their mom has been in and out of psychiatric treatment. Though I had to push a little for B to open up. I'm so very glad she did. Knowing this, I can be a much more gentle teacher; instead of complaining they aren't doing work, I now know there are other things going on. I told B to come see me anytime. If they don't have lunch at school, if they are just having a bad day, they are always welcome to come and hang in my room at lunch. I feel great knowing that this student found me to be a safe and trusting teacher who they could open up and cry to.

Today, Monday, I had another moving experience. One of my students stayed in at lunch to talk about the work he was missing from being absent. While in my room he shared that he lives at "Boys Republic", a group/placement home for kids who were in Juvenile Hall. This is sort of a last chance place because they are still under the court's supervision and such. He told me about the place, and told me he was going to be inviting me to their annual Christmas dinner. I heard something about this before. Students from Boys Republic invite teachers they want to be there. It's good to know I'm doing something right this first year in the classroom. I will definitely be there if invited. It's strange. He said there are 15 boys in the placement home that sends the boys to my school. I have at least 4 of them that I'm aware of. What are the odds of that?