Well, half of the school year is nearly over. I feel like it has gone by in the blink of an eye. I have had long days, challenges, laughter, heartache, joy, and blessing upon blessing. My students have come so far in the last four months. Our classroom is a calm and peaceful place. Students are growing daily and many who were not at grade level now find themselves working at grade level! Two have even managed to work their way beyond grade level! Who knew that was possible? Their work ethics, my faith in them, and the small class size that COVID has given us are doing amazing things!
In the middle of our Christmas week I find myself looking at life through their eyes. We have an elf in our classroom and two right outside our door. Every night the elves move and every day my students search for their new hiding places. They truely belive that the elves move themselves durring the night. We had a zoom session with Santa today. Listening to their Christmas wishes I had to fight back tears. They were not asking for wordly possessions but things that could bring healing to their broken lives. They know our classroom is a safe place to share their pain and to search for something new.
My students have seen, experienced, and daily go through more hardship than I will ever know. They are fighting in a battle that they have inherrited. The fact that the battle even exsists for them makes me angry. Their tenacity and strength give me hope for our collective future.
I am not a parent and it has been a lot of years since I was close to a child at Christmas time. This year I am greatful for the blessing of seeing this season through their eyes. They can find a light in the darkest of places. I am priviledged to be a part of that light, sharing it, and watching the darkness flee.
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