In yesterday’s post I spoke of a student who leaves me letters on my desk. In one she told me her grade was unfair. I wrote her back, telling her why it was not. Then she wrote me another one which really blew me away:
Dear Ms. Frizzle,
Okay, I do not do my sketching in my sketch book because, well, I didn’t want to tell you but… I’m POOR. I do not want you to buy me one like you offered because then it would stand out from the rest of class and that would embarrass me soooo… I can’t do my work.
There.
Student.
If I saw this story on BuzzFeed or Up, complete with tear jerking music and photos, I’d have all the feels.
In this case, I found myself rolling my eyes. 1) I had bought 40 sketch books for my many students who could not afford it or didn’t have resources to get one.
2) She HAS a notebook! I know because I have the same one has hers, courtesy of our local Dollar Store, and I thought we had swapped them by accident. I was annoyed to go running all over campus on my break to track her butt down, only to realize my composition book was sitting on my desk all along.
You know… in plain sight.
The moral of the story is this: I have in my class, in plain sight, a student who is not the norm. She finds it easier to make stuff up to get sympathy then to take responsibility for her work. In addition, she clearly has some special needs. Both facts don’t excuse laziness, but both deserve empathy. Because somewhere in between the mess of learning issues and home issues is a kid who is scared and reaching out for attention. I can’t fix her, but I can fix my own lazy and irresponsible traits by trying my best to give her loving but firm feedback.
The End Is Near… I Think
This gig might end April 2. On one hand I’ll be grateful to have jobs closer to where I live. On the other, I’ve grown rather fond of these rag tag kids. I have gotten used to their boisterous talking, confessions about boyfriend issues, ridiculous outbursts (duck honks? oh yeah) and artwork (all equal parts horrific and genius.) I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, I have learned way more from them than they have learned from me. And today, despite being so tired I could pass out on this public school computer stand, I’m grateful.
Happily Ticked Off Tip #32: Empathy: It’s My Drug of Choice. Feel Free to Get Addicted Yourself!
Leave a Comment
Are you showing empathy today? If not to others, to yourself?
My book is available on Amazon. (Note: It’s a special ed journey… your kid doesn’t need to have Tourettes to relate!) Follow me on Twitter@AndreaFrazerWrites or on Facebook.
Happily Ticked Off 
Hmm…am I showing empathy today. Yes and no. Someone pissed me feel yesterday and I’m having trouble being empathetic to her situation cause I think she’s dense about certain things. But I feel better having articulated that!
I hear you. It is soooo hard. But in the end, when I remember that someone only is the way they are because of upbringing or mental faculties I can give them empathy. If not empathy for THEM, gratitude for me, which produces empathy. (And empathy is not a free pass. It is just a less toxic emotion so that I don’t spill out to the people I truly do care about.) Thanks for reading! I love your blog.
Thank you! Love yours too! Great insights!