teaching Austin

the more i teach, the more i realize that kids will do almost anything to be loved.

there is a little boy in my class who i have to be on top of all day about one thing or another. he's always chewing on his pencil, throwing something, laying down in class, etc. i always have to speak to him about his behavior or schoolwork. we hardly ever get along, and he's constantly throwing me dirty looks and watching to see if i'm going to catch him in the act. i figured we were on our way to being enemies by the end of only a few short weeks.

but today, i was busy doing something at my desk when all of a sudden i felt tiny first grade arms around my waist and a little first grade head of blonde hair on my back. the little first grade voice said, "i love you, Miss Blum."

it was Austin. and he meant it, too.

maybe no one at home tells him he can't chew on things or throw things or be nice to people. maybe they don't care. and he knows that.