Walk in Their Shoes

"How many of the students who walk by you each morning came from a house filled with chaos just ten minutes before they arrived at school."

Since reading Kids Deserve It this summer, this particular quote has resonated with me. The quote reminds me how difficult life outside of school is for many of our students. The 8 hours that students spend at school each day can be a sweet reprieve to the adversity and chaos that students often face at home. Like many educators, I have middle class roots and cannot really relate to what its like to grow up in or live in poverty. Just last week, an interaction at school caused me to reflect about what life must be like for students with challenging home-lives. My thoughts placed me in the shoes of a homeless student who attends my school and the obstacles he and his family must face on a daily basis. What does he have in his control? Is he concerned about where his next meal is coming from or if has completed that night's homework? Should I blame him for having an attitude at times? What struggles does he face and watch his family face on a daily basis?  I wonder why he is so protective of his younger siblings. What has be protected them from?It is imperative that we have patience and empathy for students who face adversities that we can only pretend to understand. Our goal must be to enhance their lives. School needs to be a place of comfort and peace for our students.

I think back to a particular student I taught about 12 years ago. He was intelligent and hard working. He always gave 100% while at school. I noticed one winter morning that he arrived to school smelling of gas. I found this peculiar. I was unable to immediately think of a plausible reason why he may possibly smell of gas. I took him aside and asked him what was going on. He went on to tell me that he smelled of fuel because his parents left for work really early, before he was awake, and that they left the kerosene heater on for him so he would not wake up cold. The only heater they had in their home ran on kerosene.  It was his responsibility to cut the heater off before he left for school, before putting himself on the bus. I distinctly remember how upset he was the day that he was afraid that he forgot to turn the heater off. Heaters like this should not be left unattended. The frantic look and the complete state of concern he was in that day were unforgettable. Luckily we were able to reach one of his parents at work. I was afraid that he may have tried to leave school in order to check on the status of his home. Growing up middle class, I took things like having a home equipped with central heating system for granted. I share his story to remind us all that our students face circumstances that we are not aware of and may not truly understand. 

It is our job to offer stability to students who may come from difficult situations.We must advocate for students and be their champion. We must be dependable and compassionate. We must be patient, kind, and loving. We must provide relief and cushion for the harsh conditions they may face when they are outside of our care. They may come to us hungry, sad, and hurt. While they are with us, it is our job to make them feel safe, comfortable, and cared for. We cannot control what happens to our students outside of school hours but we absolutely control what happens to them and how they are treated while they are in our charge.