Sunshine on a Rainy Day

Today was cool and rainy. The apartment complex is emptying the pool. I think fall is really here now. I'm actually quite ready for summer to be behind us and look forward to the cool temperatures and the beautiful colors that fall brings.

In other news, my 7th-grade students are learning that staying after class with the teacher and missing precious minutes of their lunch time isn't all that great. Perhaps tomorrow they will have the "no talking" thing down to a fine art. My Consumer Math students weren't as bad off as I thought they were going to be. We got everything straightened out today and I'm feeling much better about the disastrous lesson on Friday.

I want to end this post the way I ended my work day, with a special student of mine. After school I had a 504 meeting for a 7th-grade student who has has spastic diplegia, a type of cerebral palsy. She is the size of a fifth grader and very frail. Her motor skills are impaired and she has vision problems. I saw this little girl in the halls last year and she broke my heart. Upon meeting and working with her the last two weeks, however, I know that I have no reason to feel sorry for her. She is one of the sweetest, happiest, most determined 7th-graders I've ever met. She knows she's different, but that she's just as capable as anyone else. She always has a smile on her face and is eager to learn. I told my husband about this little girl and he said, "Isn't it funny how the people who have the whole world against them seem to be the happiest? How the people who have everything never appreciate it?" So often this is true. I myself have been guilty of taking things for granted, as I'm sure we all have to some extent. I'm very lucky to have this girl in my class - not only is she a good student, but every day that I see her I am reminded to be thankful for this life and everything I've been given.

This little girl was my sunshine on a rainy day.