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feeling more organized
Feb. 9th, 2009 01:00 pmI have been working my way through the pile of "stuff" on my desk, and i am feeling better about it. Most of the issue was just getting everything sorted into piles--then working my way through the stack.
Jay came in to talk to my third hour class today about the behavior on Thursday last week. (Jay was out sick himself Thursday and friday.)
He is so good with the kids. He talked to them about how we are different from other schools because we trust the kids. We give them a million chances to prove themselves trustworthy. Almost all of them prove themselves worthy of that trust. Some "get it" sooner than others--but most of them get to the point where they understand this sooner or later.
He told the story of Sam who was murdered in a driveby the summer before I started teaching here. Sam was a kid who was heavy into gangs in California who had to leave there because there was no chance for him to make a better life for himself in California. there was too much 'history' for him to overcome. So he came here.
In the old building, the door to the store was easy to get to open, even if it was locked. All you had to do was rattle the door knob. Well, one day when Jay went in there, the money was gone out of the cash box. He talked to all the kids about the issue and asked anyone who had any information to chat with him about it.
A while later, Sam came into his office, dropped a wad of bills on his desk and said, 'I took it. It was a temptation i couldn't resist--old habits die hard." then he put his binder on Jay's desk--thinking he'd get expelled for stealing. Jay said, "What are you doing?"
Sam said, "You can't trust me anymore."
Jay said, "Dude. you just proved that we CAN trust you. You brought it all back."
Later, Jay put him in charge of collecting the money for the sweatshirts they were ordering as a fund raiser.
jay said, "In all his short life, Sam never had anyone who trusted him--and we did. That was huge for him."
Then suddenly, Jay choked up and got tears in his eyes--which of course, made me choke up and get tears in my eyes. So we both kept looking at each other and getting more and more teary eyed. Finally i tossed him the box of kleenex and i turned to grab one from my other box.
He said, "I can do this....but I can't look at Cheryl."
i said, "I can't look at you either."
So then he went on with his little speech about how we trusted them. When there are no subs available, and often there are not, we trust them to be on their own in the rooms and do what they are supposed to be doing.
It was a very good bonding experience for all of us.
I am so damn proud to work here. I am so humbled that I was chosen for this wonderful place. And of course, i love Jaymar and all our sweet kids. even when they are naughty, i still love them."
The difference this school makes in kids' lives is HUGE--shoot, the difference it makes in MY life is huge.
That is all.
