Don't Forget Their Humanity #edchat

Holiday Break is one week in and by the time this post goes live, I will be at Disney World with my family taking a much needed break. During the first week of break, I've relaxed and cruised the Internet. During my wonderings, I will end up on Buzzfeed and other sites that have collections of amazing stories that pull on the heartstrings. I read these stories and I think about the stories that students have shared with me this past school year. I cannot go into detail because I do not want students, some who actually read this site, to try and figure out who told me what. Even though I can't provide details, I think many of you know of the type of stories I'm talking about. As I think about these stories, I also realize that there are dozens more that I have not heard.

I'm writing this post as a reminder to myself and all of the other teachers out there that our students are also human. They have stories that they might not be willing to share, but would explain why they are acting out in class. They might explain why they need to put their head down in your class. It could be because it is the only time all day they feel comfortable to relax for just a few minutes. These students are people that need to same care and compassion as we all do. Before we get ready to judge a student for their behavior in class, take a minute to think about the story they have not shared and how it is impacting who they are in that moment. I'm going to try and be better at this in the New Year.