Those We Love And Those Who Need Our Love

School doors open around Michigan tomorrow.  Most teachers already have their homeroom and class rosters and have no doubt given it the once-over and made mental notes about the students in their classes.  I have no doubt that some teachers are eagerly anticipating seeing certain students in their classrooms as they have heard great things from other staff members or have prior experience with elder siblings.  On the other hand, there are those names that make us pause and perhaps say a silent prayer, as our colleagues have shared numerous horror stories about this student or that student.  Perhaps we have even had their siblings in our classes and we remember how challenging they were.  Generally, the former are those we love and the latter are those we hope miss a few days here and there.  However, it is the latter group of students that most needs our attention, our extra effort, and, yes, our love.  These are the students that struggle to conform to the routine of the school-day, they tend to chafe under the consistency of school because they live in such an inconsistent environment.  Their behavior is by-and-large determined by the context in which they live.  Go easy tomorrow.  Be kind, be understanding, be firm, but be gentle; what we do this week will set the tone for the remainder of the year.  Our words and actions will create the context in our schools that leads to the behaviors we desire or adds to the challenges we face.  Create a great year!