Weekend Reads

It's been one of those weeks. It was the first full week of school with students, and let's just say, transitions are hard. They're hard for students and they're hard for staff. There were tears. There was a chair pushed over. There was "you are NOT VERY WELCOME!" coming from a student. Three times to be exact. My patient voice was out in full force this week. My stern teacher face may have made an appearance, too. And by Friday, it's possible that I started every single sentence with "The direction is...." 

But we made it. There were smiles and high fives and "I LOVE middle school!" There were pictures from students.

"I love be with you Abby"

There was an amazing back to school letter from a parent. From Mr. "You are Not Welcome" came, "I was in the red zone, but now I am calm. Now I am in the green zone." And with just a little bit of guidance, he really did get himself back into the green zone. And he recognized the change in his body! That's a giant victory. And that is why I do what I do.

In the middle of all of this came the anniversary of the 9/11 attacks. And with that day came all sorts of emotions, including the guilt of "How can I possibly think I'm having a challenging week?" Yes, it could have been worse. Much, much worse. And I am so grateful for all that I have. But I'm going to recognize this week for what it was. A challenging week. A week to learn from and grow from. We all have them. Parents, teachers, students, therapists. Everyone.

For this week's weekend reads, I have just one. But I promise you, this is one you don't want to miss. This letter written by Nebla Marquez-Green, whose daughter Ana Grace was killed in the Sandy Hook attack, is powerful, heart-wrenching, and inspiring all at once. If you are an educator, this letter is not to be missed.

Here's to a new school year and all that comes with it!

Remember Ana Grace, and don't let anything suck your fun circuits dry.