We can’t help everyone.
I know that. I hear it all the time – from my colleagues, my friends, my family. From the news, from strangers, from politicians. From the world.
We can’t fix those who don’t want to be fixed, can’t change those who don’t want to change, can’t help those who don’t want to be helped.
Fine. But when did they make those choices? When did a twelve year old decide that he was going to do what he wanted to do, damn the consequences?
Because I don’t think anyone ever decides that. I just don’t think they know anything different.
If you’ve never seen another option, never been corrected, never had your choices questioned…how do you know that anything else exists?
We can’t help everyone, they say. Isn’t that an excuse for why we hardly help anyone?
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"I'm a dreamer but I ain't the only one Got problems but we love to have fun"
-K'naan, "Dreamer"
I teach eighth grade Language Arts at an urban school. My kids kick ass and will change the world. I want everyone to know.
I teach eighth grade Language Arts at an urban school. My kids kick ass and will change the world. I want everyone to know.
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3 comments:
While I agree with you, my first reaction to your post was - "What prompted this?" Is there a background story or just thoughts that you were pondering?
Love your blog:-)
Tom
But everyone we help, who finally "gets" it, is a victory, in my book!
Hi Tom. Thanks for the compliment! This post came about because I was thinking about this coming year, and about a conversation I had with someone last year. I'll be working with this person much more closely this year, and he and I have very different perspectives (he fully believes kids make choices and that's on them, not us). So. I'm going to have to figure out how to balance my collegial relationship with this person and my personal belief that everyone can always use more support and more chances.
Melissa, I completely agree with you! And I should focus on that too, because we can always use more victories.
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