Tooting My Own Horn

I haven't posted in forever and now I'm going to post to toot my own horn. Vain? Definitely, but sometimes I need an ego boost. I received an email today from a co-worker who saw the following post on Facebook and passed it along to me. It came from a counselor at the middle school my students go to:

Yesterday I had a 6th grader in my office crying...saving the details...he has a very "complex life"...we talked more...in the meantime our secretary got his former 5th grade teacher on the phone after I realized that he had done very well last year despite all of the challenges he faces. I called him over to the phone after speaking to her and asked if he'd take a call from Ms. Vance. The look on his face was one of relief and complete happiness. You would have thought that the person on the line was a superstar sports figure, Santa Claus, or someone extraordinary...he grabbed the phone, plopped down in my chair and talked to her for a while. He emerged from my office feeling happy and his outlook positive. He returned to class ready to go again into his day. To all the teachers out there working with kids of all kinds, keep fighting the good fight, you never really know which kids will need you the most or how much you will make a difference. And to you Ms. Vance, you are extraordinary.

Many of you know how unhappy I am about my job and the teaching profession in general. However, moments like I had on Friday, where I was able to reconnect with a previous student and make a difference, remind me of how much I end up loving my students. I feel so blessed that I developed a great relationship with this student last year and that I could help him out this year.