we take care of each other. we really do.

this week in pictures

what an amazing week.
the shorties continue to amaze me each day.
tuesday, one student came in terribly and understandably upset.
his grandfather had died the night before.
i sat and talked with him as the others got
ready for their day.
he cried deeply and painfully as the others
looked on with worried faces and offered kleenex.
i praised them for remembering our motto:
we take care of each other.

then, i asked, "would anyone like to share about
a time when they lost someone and felt sad? maybe that
would help..."
so, one story at at time, the can of worms was opened.
"when my cousin was shot, i talked to my mom"
"when my uncle died last year, i tried to be strong"
"i wrote letters to my grandmother when she died"

and, one by one, they were all crying.
i had an entire classroom of crying children.
not just sniffling.
they were burying themselves in pillows and
sobbing gut-wrenching tears.
they were wailing.
i even had tears in my eyes...
i was also panicking a bit.

but i realized, they needed this release.
they just needed a good cry.
jeez...and don't we all sometimes?

so, after a box of kleenex and many group hugs,
we gathered on our rug and brainstormed
things we have now...things we are thankful for...
things that make us happy.

and through tears, i had responses,
"cotton candy"
"singing"
"fingerpaint"
"candles"

and then some smiling,
"shopping"
"candy corn"
"reading"

and, finally, we were all smiling.
and they seemed stronger
as a class.
they had been through something together
and had made it through.
they bonded even more through the struggle of grieving.

they were telling other teachers, later that day,
"we cried all morning. but we helped each other and
we're ok now."
they are stronger now.

they amaze me.