Persistence, Revisited

It's fitting that my last post (way too long ago) was about persistence and about teachers doing the right thing. Sometimes I get discouraged to the point of thinking "Maybe this kid NEVER will read," and then days like today happened.

I'm fortunate that I have two grade levels this year, so I'm getting a second chance with a few who never developed a reading habit last year. But here we are, nearing the end of year two, and three boys in the same class are still struggling to make a reading connection. Over spring break Mindy McGinnis' new title, Heroine, published. After reading the first chapter, it was obvious which of the three boys needed to try it. Today he didn't hear me when I said, "Put your books away." The book engrossed him, and his peers watched in amazement.

Another of the three has one of my colleagues for a writing class. That teacher put No Choirboy into his hands, and he's now read 17 pages of the book. That may not seem like much, but it's huge for this kid.

Yesterday we worked on weeding the classroom collection. Students examined books that haven't circulated in the past two years, and they decided what needs to stay. The third boy found a title (not one I would have EVER suggested to him) that looked interesting. Today he started it, got confused in the prologue, and asked for help. He has never asked for help with confusion; he normally abandons books that frustrate him in any way.

These may seem like insignificant moments in the grand scheme of things, but this may be the most important day we've had all year.

Teachers have to do the right thing, and I am surrounded by incredible educators, supported by brilliant administrators, who work to support our kids. There will always be days, there will always be situations, that are discouraging, but we follow the advice of Sir Winston Churchill, "Never, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, give up."

We persist.