Grace and Mercy...

I got a lot of things on my mind, and I am not particularly in a happy place. So, if you are feeling really happy and want to stay there, skip this post......

Assumptions!

Today, I have been thinking a lot about assumptions, and how sometimes we make decisions based on assumptions, instead of facts. You know, the bible speaks of always getting an understanding, and so many times, we make decisions without getting an understanding.

For instance, I do no necessary talk about my cycling workouts that I do during the winter; it’s really nothing special. It’s just what I do. Just like I brush my teeth, go to work, and pick my afro, I do my cycling workouts. So, when folks say things that allude to me not riding, I want to punch folks or scream. I wonder why they won’t just ask... Get An Understanding.

However, then it goes back to me, and me being responsible for my response to folks. I’m thinking that maybe I could kindly say with a fake smile: “Man, I’ve being training.” Or, I could absorb folks assumptions the same way that the ground absorbs rain water?

Now, you know I am not a saint, and there are tons of decisions that I make that are based on assumptions, but know, I am trying to do better. This mindful living can be HARD! I am hearing God say Grace and Mercy, Grace and Mercy and not just for other folks, but for myself as well.

Last school year I did not challenge my Advanced Placement Literature students to do the 10 to 40 book challenge, I assumed that they were readers. Now, I know where the assumptions came from, but you know that I had no proof that my AP seniors read more than my tenth graders. However, after much discussion, I realized that the AP seniors needed to be challenged to read more just like the tenth graders. Now, everybody is encourage to go higher; there is always room to go higher.

Yep, I am guilty of acting on assumptions! Grace and Mercy......

Teaching!

Last year I spent a lot of time focusing on reading. I knew that many of my students were not readers, and I know that I was playing a part in doing full out Readicide. Yep, I was teaching books that I love, thinking that I was reaching the masses and was actually committing Readicide; killing kids love of reading. Gave the students choice, and it totally changed my classroom for the better.

This year, I needed to get that writing going along with the reading. After following, on twitter, a whole lot of folks who are farther along than me and taking their advice, I have been focusing on helping my students to get their thoughts out without the pressure of me and that red pen. We have been responding to the texts that they are reading through writing. I read their responses and respond, but I do not correct for grammar errors. However, I am noticing that I am not seeing many grammar errors, and I have some thoughts about why, but that’s a whole ‘nother blog.

Their one big writing piece was to fully develop whatever they wanted to write about. And, they have been writing. When they said they were finished, they would come and sit next to me, and we would talk through the papers and make correction as we went along.

Y’all, I have cried and cried and cried. One student sat next to me, and I read her story, and I wept, and she wept. When I finally was able to speak, all I could say is “I'm sorry.” We talked about it, and we both cried and cried. I read many more papers and asked questions and listened and cried.

The funny thing about my crying is that all of the students saw me crying, and you know, they were quiet and somber. No one laughed or asked what was wrong... They were just quiet and somber; we were sharing a moment.

Our young folks are courageously dealing with a lot, and I get the feeling that they do not want our sympathy; they want us to hear them with an empathic ear. I pray for them a lot and think about them a lot and cry a lot. Then, I try and meet them where they are....

Our Youth... Their Lives Matter!!!

That’s all I got!