My Boys

TGIF

So, besides being thankful for Friday, I'm thankful for refinancing, which will save us several hundred dollars a month. I'm also insanely thankful for Jack's abundant giggles while watching Grant jump on a neighbor's trampoline and then purposefully fall down. I'm thankful that, even though he pulled my hair, Grant grabbed me as I tucked him in and gave me a great big hug. And did I mention that I'm thankful for Friday?!?
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He really is smiling...

One Big Gratitude

I just have one big gratitude today. Mr. C., at the age of ten, has had a rough life. And I quite often feel like he's set up for failure, since he has learning issues AND is a perfectionist. Its hard to be perfect when you can't read, right?!? So today, we did everything right. We gave choices before any work or criticism was presented. Finished some tests, got stuff done, had some fun, and he didn't get ticked off. He was taking his science test, and he thought about a question he'd answered, erased what he'd marked, and picked again. The second answer was the right one. Is it cheating for me to beam at him and say, "Good job- way to think it through!"? I don't think so. So after saying good job, I looked at him and said, "Tonight, at 8pm, when I've been here forever and am tired and grumpy, I'm going to remember how happy I am right now. I'm going to smile, because you thought it through and fixed that problem." And he smiled at me.

THAT is why I do this job. A coworker asked me how I can stand to work with the lowest levels of students all the time. I feel like, between the learning issues and behavior issues, that I have a greater impact on these students than I would on kids who could learn no matter what. Yesterday I hated my job. Today, I loved it.

Today's Gratitudes

1. I got to see both boys this morning before I headed off to work.

2. L. was paying great attention during the reading assessment and knew when he'd gotten a couple of answers wrong.

3. C. was spot on in math today.

4. Montana Plains for dinner!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

5. JackJack had lots of smiles for me at bedtime tonight.

Today I learned that nine of our fourteen 5th graders can do partial product multiplication.

Homework

So, the therapist says I need to do a gratitude journal. Last week was terrible. I think a lot of that has to do with the fact that one of my formal students, at 16, is accused of taking part in a beating that left an 81 year old man dead here in Lynchburg. I'm taking it very hard. I've learned over the years how to deal with angry boys. But I look at my current angry boys and wonder what I can say that will keep them from taking someone else's life. Are there words to help them see the sanctity of life? If I said the words, would they hear them? Remember them? Give a sh*t?

Anywho, Gratitude Journal. Here we go.

1. I am thankful for the milky, toothless grins I got from Jack before I went to work.

2. I am thankful for the fact that my hug for Gwyn made her feel better.

3. I am thankful that Grant remembers that there is a man in cow suit at Chick-Fil-A and isn't scared.

4. I am thankful that Troy came to Chick-Fil-A with us this evening when he didn't think he'd be able to.

5. I am thankful that C. used his words to tell Gwyn he didn't want her to read the test to him, instead of getting ticked off and shutting down.

Today I learned that Jack likes Nuby teethers. A lot. And can hurl them out of his car seat.

With Mommy