360+5=Miracle
360 + 5 = Miracle
Five days does not seen like a lot. The 5 days plus 360 days that went before are tremendous when the child is only seven years old. Sometimes we just don’t know when the miracle will happen. Sometimes the miracle is waiting inside a silent little boy.
365 school days ago, we met a little kindergarten boy. A shy little boy walked into his caring teacher’s classroom. He was part of a kindergarten set of brothers. A little boy did not talk. He sometimes would become so overwhelmed that he would shut down. His caring teacher kept encouraging this boy’s little soul.
185 school days ago, the little silent boy met his thoughtful teacher. A thoughtful teacher collaborated with a team of dedicated people who saw the special child inside the silent boy. The occupational therapist nurtured him by helping with his sensory needs. She made him a special weighted vest with a sheriff’s badge. With his vest and cowboy boots, he was a real treat to watch walking 1 down the hallway.
360 school days ago, a little silent boy began working with a speech pathologist who provided authentic language experiences which kept his little brain rich with language waiting for the day the little boy would share his voice with the world.
185 school days ago, a little silent boy met the two ladies upstairs. His two upstairs friends would give him those little nurturing sensory breaks and those gentle nudges of encouragement to help him when the place we call school was a little much for the little boy with the tender heart.
185 school days ago, a little silent boy met the lady with the funny socks. The lady with the funny socks saw the creative boy wanting a chance to express himself. She would talk. She would play. The lady with the funny socks would sing and dramatize with him. One day she hid behind a tree. She hid behind the tree and heard those faint first words from the little boy as he spoke with his brother. Soon the little boy talked with the special lady as they played. The little boy was finding his voice.
Five days ago, the little silent boy met his first grade teacher. Five days ago the little boy met his accepting teacher. She asked him questions so he could non-verbally respond. She wrote his answers on a dry erase board so he could participate in class. His teacher helped his classmates accept the silent little boy. The little boy was still shielding his tender heart.
Today, the little boy whispered to his teacher. He spoke. The little boy whispered and read to the reading teacher. The reading teacher found the exact words to comfort the timid little boy. The little boy spoke to answer a question in class. He talked at recess and in gym. The little boy let down the shield around his heart and his voice sang out. A miracle happened today.
I must admit that goose bumps ran up my arm. I must admit that on the way home from school I grabbed my steering wheel and cried. My tears were tears of thankfulness. I was thankful for the boy’s teachers. His teachers didn’t worry about what to label the little boy. His teachers just saw a little boy with needs. Each of his teachers, the ones mentioned here and all the teachers who live in his heart, saw the special boy inside the silent little boy.
Someone greater than us has a hand in the work we do. This little boy spoke today. He spoke today because he was put on our path. He was put on the art teacher’s path when he drew his portrarit for the principal’s door. Everyone who touched this little boy nurtured his heart and then his mind. The little boy was our teacher when we were called to teach him.
A child messenger in baggy clothes taught us the most important lesson. He taught us that with care, thoughtfulness, dedication, and acceptance we change lives. What brings tears to my eyes today is not that the little boy spoke. What brings tears today was that the little boy let down the shield that protected his tender heart when he felt acceptance. Care, thoughtfulness, and dedication is what we do for children. Acceptance is what they feel. The teachers on the path for 360 + 5 days helped the little boy find his voice. His accepting teachers inspired him to let down the shield around his tender heart and let his voice sing.
Everyone on this boy’s path had a hand in empowering him to let down his shield and share his voice. A greater hand guided us and reminded us that acceptance empowers our students to reach further and shed the shield that guards their tender hearts.
May our school years be guided by the greater force that makes miracles possible.
Five days does not seen like a lot. The 5 days plus 360 days that went before are tremendous when the child is only seven years old. Sometimes we just don’t know when the miracle will happen. Sometimes the miracle is waiting inside a silent little boy.
365 school days ago, we met a little kindergarten boy. A shy little boy walked into his caring teacher’s classroom. He was part of a kindergarten set of brothers. A little boy did not talk. He sometimes would become so overwhelmed that he would shut down. His caring teacher kept encouraging this boy’s little soul.
185 school days ago, the little silent boy met his thoughtful teacher. A thoughtful teacher collaborated with a team of dedicated people who saw the special child inside the silent boy. The occupational therapist nurtured him by helping with his sensory needs. She made him a special weighted vest with a sheriff’s badge. With his vest and cowboy boots, he was a real treat to watch walking 1 down the hallway.
360 school days ago, a little silent boy began working with a speech pathologist who provided authentic language experiences which kept his little brain rich with language waiting for the day the little boy would share his voice with the world.
185 school days ago, a little silent boy met the two ladies upstairs. His two upstairs friends would give him those little nurturing sensory breaks and those gentle nudges of encouragement to help him when the place we call school was a little much for the little boy with the tender heart.
185 school days ago, a little silent boy met the lady with the funny socks. The lady with the funny socks saw the creative boy wanting a chance to express himself. She would talk. She would play. The lady with the funny socks would sing and dramatize with him. One day she hid behind a tree. She hid behind the tree and heard those faint first words from the little boy as he spoke with his brother. Soon the little boy talked with the special lady as they played. The little boy was finding his voice.
Five days ago, the little silent boy met his first grade teacher. Five days ago the little boy met his accepting teacher. She asked him questions so he could non-verbally respond. She wrote his answers on a dry erase board so he could participate in class. His teacher helped his classmates accept the silent little boy. The little boy was still shielding his tender heart.
Today, the little boy whispered to his teacher. He spoke. The little boy whispered and read to the reading teacher. The reading teacher found the exact words to comfort the timid little boy. The little boy spoke to answer a question in class. He talked at recess and in gym. The little boy let down the shield around his heart and his voice sang out. A miracle happened today.
I must admit that goose bumps ran up my arm. I must admit that on the way home from school I grabbed my steering wheel and cried. My tears were tears of thankfulness. I was thankful for the boy’s teachers. His teachers didn’t worry about what to label the little boy. His teachers just saw a little boy with needs. Each of his teachers, the ones mentioned here and all the teachers who live in his heart, saw the special boy inside the silent little boy.
Someone greater than us has a hand in the work we do. This little boy spoke today. He spoke today because he was put on our path. He was put on the art teacher’s path when he drew his portrarit for the principal’s door. Everyone who touched this little boy nurtured his heart and then his mind. The little boy was our teacher when we were called to teach him.
A child messenger in baggy clothes taught us the most important lesson. He taught us that with care, thoughtfulness, dedication, and acceptance we change lives. What brings tears to my eyes today is not that the little boy spoke. What brings tears today was that the little boy let down the shield that protected his tender heart when he felt acceptance. Care, thoughtfulness, and dedication is what we do for children. Acceptance is what they feel. The teachers on the path for 360 + 5 days helped the little boy find his voice. His accepting teachers inspired him to let down the shield around his tender heart and let his voice sing.
Everyone on this boy’s path had a hand in empowering him to let down his shield and share his voice. A greater hand guided us and reminded us that acceptance empowers our students to reach further and shed the shield that guards their tender hearts.
May our school years be guided by the greater force that makes miracles possible.
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