Thread: I'm in shock, and could use a hug, a pat on the back,

First, bless you for all you do.

I'm feeling a sense of desperation; how can I meet their intellectual and academic needs, when more foundational needs are going unmet?

Like many of us, you get wrapped up in the lives of those put in our charge a few hours of the day. I probably know more about some of my kids than I ever really wanted to know. Mine do not always turn out well. The thing is, we can't lead their lives for them; we cannot always take the place of their parents. We are simply their teacher, and if we venture more, then we sometimes are reaching a bit too far. That's not to say its wrong to try. But try though we might, we cannot save every one.

Four students aren't wearing their glasses, because their old ones broke, and their parents can't afford to get them a new pair.

See if you can find a Lions Club in your area. Lions clubs are pretty good about helping with visual impairments and getting glasses for people who can't afford them. You can locate a club here: [url="http://www.lionsclubs.org"]www.lionsclubs.org[/url] Hope that might be a good starting point.

Anyway, the thing is, you did the best you could. And that is all any of us can do, when it comes down to it.

It's true; I did my best.

I've got a local group working on glasses AND winter coats. I hope we get those achieved soon.

I teach math at a charter school in San Antonio. Many students have stories to tell. Some of them are not pleasant.

We had an in-service today. Since we are a small school, we could talk about individual students. The principal knows all of them. I was pleased when he said "you can't save them all". We talked specifically about a couple of my students who are beyond saving.

Tomorrow I will probably write more office referrals than usual. I don't know if it will make any difference.

Good luck.

Originally Posted by kelley the gardner

I'm feeling a sense of desperation; how can I meet their intellectual and academic needs, when more foundational needs are going unmet?

Like the principal at Roy's school said, "you can't save them all" and as my very wise mother says, "You must love them all" which I think you're doing. Considering that many of your students are coming to tell you of their troubles and cryng on your shoulder, it seems that YOU are the constant in their lives and you are a comfort to them.

GreenBunny wrote:

as my very wise mother says, "You must love them all" which I think you're doing.

That I do. If that's all they get from their time with me, they got the best I have.

I am sorry that so many of your students are having such serious problems;. I know that feeling of lying awake at night and wondering how to stop a train wreck. A few years back I wrote to Bananas about one that broke my heart (this child was being sexually molested by her father, but nothing could be done as everybody denied it because the father had threatened to kill the mother). How do you make grammar important to a child fighting daily for her life????
The "experts" of NCLB just don't get it.
And we who get it are helpless.
Take care of yourself, Kelly.

Barbara S said,

How do you make grammar important to a child fighting daily for her life????
The "experts" of NCLB just don't get it.
And we who get it are helpless.

Thank you, Barbara. My year is quickly settling into place. A year of focusing on holding students safe, caring for them, and hoping we can do some learning whenever possible.

My homeless student has relaxed a little, now that she's sure her circumstances won't automatically "fail" her because she can't keep up. She's putting a lot of energy and effort into what she CAN do, on the days we get to see her, and has moved beyond the "I'm going to fail anyway, I can't do this, I may as well just quit" mindset she was in the first month of school.

The hugs are more important than the grades this year. Perhaps they always are, but we just aren't always as aware of it.

Thinking of you, Kelly. And of course, thinking of "our" kids....

I'm with you Kelly! Seems this year has brought on so many heavy hitters than ever before. I'm so sorry your students are struggling. It does seem impossible to focus on teaching them academics when their basic needs aren't being met each day. Patience, love and understanding are a must.