Learning Lessons from Students: Gratitude

Then, on Wednesday, something happened. My class and I had signed up for the Scholastic Taylor Swift Podcast about reading. If you missed it, Taylor Swift drove home the fact that she had to know how to read and write to become who she is today. After the Podcast, I had my class do a short writing response about what they wanted to be when they grew up and why reading and writing would be important for that particular job. As most of my students started writing, one of my students with autism was nearly rubbing his eyeballs out. He was holding back tears,
and when we took a walk outside the classroom to find out why, he unraveled. He said “You make it sound so easy to get a job someday! And what if I can’t? What if I can’t get a job because nobody will want me or like my ideas?” I was shocked. As he continued to unravel, I discovered that he was not just worried about getting a job, he was worried about being accepted in the world altogether. I realized that even at the age of 10, children have fears that adults have. I sat down with him and I asked him if he wanted to know a secret about Miss Eager. When he said yes, I told him that I don’t have a job yet, and that every year I have to worry about what school I will work in. I told him how I have two jobs, and I work at a restaurant too. And that sometimes people have to have two or three jobs. His mouth dropped. We sat outside my classroom for 20 minutes until he was able to reassure himself that life would turn out okay, and that he would find a place that he belongs.