Being at home during the holidays with 8 children allows for some great moments together – like watching moments like the one below.

Reading with Sister

It’s not always that you can watch your children spend time together enjoying a book or playing a game. It’s also at times like this that I am reminded that not all children have this opportunity. Some, because of poverty and other circumstances, do not have the same options that others have. AND, this is important for all of us to remember, not all is as it appears. Experience has taught me that things are not always as they seem and we need to be aware of, pay attention to, and develop relationships with our students because you never know when they will need you.

As we return to school later this week and prepare for the windup to our first semester, these are some of the key things I’ll be reminding teachers about:

• The return to school is a return to a place of welcome and safety for some of our students
• Not all of our students may have had a Wonderful Christmas Time
• Don’t spend time discussing what children received for Christmas – some didn’t receive much
• Be aware, attuned and open to those students that may be excited about returning to school if for no other reason than it’s away from their bigger issues
• Circulate and give all children time – you’ll never know what some child will need from a loving, caring adult
• Don’t react to the superficial – some children act out because they need your attention – so give it to them

For some students, returning to school is a return to a safe, caring, open and welcoming place where they have the opportunity to have a relationship with a concerned adult who will advocate for them. We strive to improve the lives of our students through caring and nurturing their love of learning while caring and nurturing them as people.