Troublemakin'

I had to explain to a student today that I do not see him as a "troublemaker." One of my goals, every day, is to make sure that the students know I don't see them as their choices. Just because you make a not-so-smart choice doesn't make you bad. Many of them are so used to being labeled by their choices, even at such a young age. The hardest thing is constantly reminding myself to remove the action from the child; they can sense insincerity and they know when I'm b.s.-ing them. So, if the attempt is made to explain that they are not their choices, they'll know when I don't actually believe it. Teaching is one of the most growing daily experiences.

Blessing #101: Aviator Gorilla
It's a long story, but... There's this stuffed gorilla dressed like an old-fashioned pilot on my bed. It always makes me smile; a little bit because it's funny looking, but mostly because it reminds me of the wonderful friends who gave me the little guy.

♥