We're on Christmas break and I had a co-teacher call me about a student she saw walking in the neighborhood without a coat on. It's mighty cold here today, and his family really lacks resources. We start talking about his situation and what we could do for him....where we could refer the family, etc. When I hung up, my husband just looked at me, and shook his head. He jokingly asked if I was getting, "on call pay." His mother, who is a social worker, gets paid when she gets phone calls about clients at home. Nope, none of that here. It's a 24/7 job. It never leaves you. Here's to all of you and what we do....cheers!
I'm like you; I just can't leave it at the door. How lucky your student is to have teachers looking out for him and his family.
We may try to leave it at the door, but in reality, it is with us 24/7. I even dream about my kids. ecteach, keep us posted on your student and his family. They are so lucky to have you!
I gave one of my jackets to a kid Friday after PE. I taught his dad (in prison I think). I had another to give but the kid did not come to school, was suspended I think. What about fellow staff members. I have worked with a lady for many years. Her daughter is in Rochester NY going to college. Her husband just inherited a lot of money and left (the #@**&). Told his girls he would pay their tuition and then backed out. So mom is driving all the way from Fla to Rochester to pick her up for Christmas break. I asked my Secretary to put my twenty in a card and say from Secret Santa. I was gonna be out the day she left. So by the time it got to her over $120 was in it from staff that love her so much.
I know how that feels. I have 2 students who wear clothes way too small for them. I don't know if the parents just don't have the money or don't really care what the kids where (they are special needs kids...I have actually heard people say nobody will notice what they are wearing). It is sad to see them neglected but I have to put my family first, especially during the holidays so I don't buy them anything even though I want to.
I have decided that teaching is a career in which we are able (or enabled?) to show our true nurturing abilities. Am I "mean" to my students? Only when they make bad choices. I also purchase socks for kiddos who have none, take calls from moms at 10:00 p.m., pay lunch money (when I have cash) for the very few who aren't on free lunch and need it, keep healthy snacks in my room for those who miss breakfast, etc., etc., etc. After Christmas, I'm going to Goodwill to look for 3 backpacks and 4 warm coats - one of which is for one of my former students, who is now in 4th grade!
I have bought a student a pair of shoes. His shoes were so small his toes had gone through the front, it was like this a while and then dad cut a proper hole for his toes! He was a clean student but we have students who wear the same clothes every day for a week. We have put children into spare clothes, soaked and washed their clothes as they have been so dirty. Lots of sunshine here so they wear the same clothes home.
I am trying to turn my brain off, but it's so hard! I'm feeling bad for not remembering to send home reading books home with all of my students over the break. Sigh. In the grand scheme of things it's minor.
We have a little girl who is in an awful situation at home. Every morning she comes in and we brush her hair and fix it up for her. (Co-worker got a friend to make a bunch of bows for her.) We went together and bought her a new pair of shoes. For the longest time she was wearing the same dress shoes that were too big for her. When we asked why she cried and said that the dog had thrown up on her sneakers that her grandmother had bought at the dollar store. Nobody would wash them for her, so she couldn't wear them. We gave her the shoes for Christmas and she cried (so did we). When it was time to go home she took her bows out to put away and then took off her shoes. She wants to leave them (and her new socks) at school. She knows they will be destroyed if she wears them home. She was so sad at the thought of being away from school for 2 weeks that she stayed in the corner during the party and cried. School is her safe spot. It's kids like this that you never forget and always worry about.
