Every Child Has a Story

Each child who enters a school has a history. I know for a fact that many of the kids I serve each day have experienced more challenges in their little lives than I have in my lifetime. The kids who anticipate their school day as a safety net, a place to be fed and to feel secure, are begging us to dig into their backgrounds. We can learn quite a bit from the surface of a child, but we can learn so much more if we take some time to dig. Every child comes to us with a personal file that details their career as a student. Within this file we can also find personal information that can help us learn more about our kids. Consider the importance of knowing how many people live in the home, how many schools a child has attended, and the general makeup of the family within the home. How will the child who has attended only one school, differ from the child who has attended four or five schools? What if this child is only in first grade? That is a story worth learning about.

We must dig and investigate as educators. It is part of what we do to serve kids. When we receive new students, the first thing we should do is view their history on paper. The second thing we do is begin forming a relationship with the child and the family in order to learn more. The two combined are a powerful weapon for the teacher to use when planning instruction and social emotional support for all kids.

Each child is unique. They all come with stories and they all need to be heard by us. The more people who read into the history of a child, the more chances a child has to be successful and confident. Dig. Investigate. Get personal in a way that will help families open up.

Kids before content…it’s the way to meet kids where they are. It’s the right thing to do!