Crime Shows and Christmas Lights

What a wonderful Saturday night! Sitting here in my family room lit up with only Christmas lights and watching 48 Hours Mystery. There is just something about real life crime tv shows that pulls me in. But, yet again, the teacher in me pulls part of my thoughts to my students.

One year, I had a transfer student put into my room a few weeks after the semester started and just put him randomly in a cooperative group. He got very upset and did the typical "I cannot work with her" pout that students do. Come to find out though, this was nothing close to a typical scenario. It turned out that one of the girl's mothers and the boy's father had previously had a relationship that ended with the girl's mother stabbing the boy's father so badly he was in the hospital for an extended period of time. 

WHAT?!!? That only happens on the crime shows on TV and not in the real life of my students. But, lo and behold, they do happen in real life. And we must learn to help our students work through that as best we can. Due to other circumstances both students had to remain in the class, so my inclusion teacher and I did our best to meet the needs of both students. There were never any issues and both students handles themselves well, but could you imagine?!?

I had a luxury of growing up in a two parent household, full meals three times a day, participated in sports and band, and was in a warm comfy bed at my bedtime every night. Not every student is that lucky, though. These kids I see day in and day out have so much more on their plates than any high schooler should. I just pray that I do enough to give them a little light in their lives when they are in my classroom. Using group techniques, friendly banter, active classwork assignments, and no homework, I hope that each student feels that they can be successful in this area of their lives regardless of whatever else life is throwing at them. 

Sure I am in education to teach the curriculum, but if I can make my students' chaotic lives a little better through being in my class, then I feel I am truly doing my job right!