"A Learning Heart"

“A Learning Heart”

Six years ago, a little girl sat crisscross applesauce in her kindergarten classroom. Her teacher softly said the names of her classmates so she could repeat them. You could see the determination in her sweet eyes as she played the name game with the principal.

My young friend is a miracle. At a very tender age, she received life-saving treatment to persevere and recover from cancer. The treatment to save her life impacted her developing cognition and would make learning a challenge. Her life was saved because she is a miracle.

Tests can measure a child’s academic progress, but no test can measure a child’s heart for learning. Heart is what a child shows you; heart is what we observe. If a child’s heart could be measured in percentile points this young girl would be the 100th percentile. She has the greatest heart for learning.

You see her heart in a constant positive attitude. Learning is never easy, but you won’t know looking at my friend learn. She accepts her challenges and chooses a positive attitude. When others would quit and whine, this young lady chooses to keep going.

You hear her heart in kind actions and wonderful manners. She is always kind even when others are not kind to her. A thank you and please are offered without being asked. Her character is gift that makes her a joy to know.

Today, my friend will graduate to middle school. A miracle taught us what no test can measure. Roselyn taught us that the resilient kind heart of a child is what matters most. No test can measure Roselyn because no test can measure the miracle of her giving heart.

Roselyn is my teacher. She taught me to see what cannot be measured. Kids are always more valuable than a test score because no test can measure kindness, desire, and heart.

Note: We thank Roselyn’s parents for sharing their daughter with us. Her parents truly love their daughter. Roselyn was blessed with accepting and thoughtful teachers who encouraged and supported her.

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