Compassion

Its safe to say that most teachers feel accomplished or proud of their students when they grow in reading or math or some academic thing that they have been struggling with. I mean its kinda what we are there to do.....help them grow academically. HOWEVER! I feel more pride and accomplishment for my kids and for myself when my students grow as people. Little tiny people. I feel accomplished because, well, I helped them become that kind little person. They watch me. They watch other teachers. The principals. Janitors. Basically any adult they are around. They watch. They learn. They listen. That is completely terrifying. Sadly, I see more and more adults treating children like they are nothing, cussing around them, saying terribly innappripriate things around them and justifying it with "Oh they aren't even paying attention" UM HI WRONG! So wrong....they are little sponges! They hear you. So quit cussing in front of them, quit talking about adult things in front of them. They need to be children. Let them be children. They should love coloring and playgrounds.

That was a little tangent....I'm going somewhere with this. Promise :)

Okay so Friday. Friday was great. My rough and tumble kiddos were having a good day, it was getting chilly and feeling like fall....it was just great. Anyways. We were out at recess. MANNNNNN do I love recess. For the obvious reasons: 1. I get to be outside 2. Its a break from our day (and we need those, teachers and students) and 3. The conversations we have with our kids during recess are the best conversations I have all week.

So while at recess a little girl was running and she tripped and fell on concrete. This little darling is a little....ummm....dramatic anyways. So of course...out of all the kids to fall it had to be her...We hurried over to her as she was laying on the ground preparing to die (clearly not actually die but shes dramatic so she probably thought thats what was happening) and a couple other kids follow, because who doesn't love good drama. And Madame McTrips-a-lot was crying and gasping and this little boy, who is a rough, tough and angry little dude most of the time goes up to her and says "Don't worry! I fell today too, and look at my hands! Theyre okay! No blood! You'll be okay!" and while he is saying this he is like putting a comforting hand on her. STOP IT RIGHT NOW IT WAS THE SWEETEST THING IVE EVER SEEN. And although I didn't cry in the moment...I just teared up writing it...It was just awesome. And then without asking or being asked another little girl bends down and starts to tie the wounded girls shoes for her. I mean....I didn't even think to do that! IM THE TEACHER AND THE ADULT HERE! I was so overwhelmed with pride for these little friends helping each other. So we stayed outside for an extra 10 minutes....

I see this a lot. Kids want to help. They want to love each other. Sometimes they just don't know how. They might not have ever seen someone help another person, or speak kindly to them. It is up to us to show them what compassion is. Compassion fixes broken things. Compassion changes things.