I had a special moment with a student today. Or, at least it felt special to me.
He is one of my kiddos who is challenged by reading and therefore, really does not like it. He’s also a talented hockey player.
However, this student has put in A LOT of work this year and has truly tried to improve in all areas of Reading.
I was doing a Running Record with him. He has already moved up four levels, so to me, anything we get to is beyond bonus.
There were two words that tripped him up: “instinctual” and “nevertheless”.
After the second trip-up, he shut down. He was nervous, he got misty eyed, he struggled with the comprehension questions. I kept encouraging but my heart was breaking because I could tell he was completely out of it and frustrated at himself.
We’ve all felt this way numerous times in our lives, and if it still feels bad at 25, I can’t imagine what it feels like at 11.
At the end of the Running Record, I paused and said, “Why did it bother you so much that you messed up those two words?”
“Because they’re easy,” he said as he tipped his head back to discourage the tears.
“They aren’t easy words,” I said, to which he pointed at “nevertheless” and said, “It literally says ‘never-the-less’.”
I asked him, “What’s the easiest shot in hockey?” I got a little smile out of him.
“They’re all easy.”
“No, really, what’s the easiest shot?” He really wasn’t entertaining it because he was frustrated. I said, “In basketball, a layup is the easiest shot and do you know how many times I’ve missed one in a game?” He laughed a bit. I continued, “A lot. It doesn’t matter if they’re easy, you still miss them sometimes.”
I asked, “So what do you do when you miss a shot in hockey? Do you just get off the ice and leave?”
“No,” he muttered with a smile.
“Okay, then what do you do?”
“I play harder.”
“Exactly,” I said, “It’s the same here. So, what, a word tripped you up? You forget about it, you move on, and you keep trying harder.”
At this, he had finally given in and started to smile, nod, and see my point.
I think it was such a special moment for me because I was able to weave together my two most treasured identities – athlete and teacher – to help a student.
Those are the moments I love most about teaching – not the countless times I’m up in front of them, handing out papers, making to-do-lists, or posting to our Google Classroom. It’s when I’m able to vulnerably wear part of myself on my sleeve and connect with a kid in a way that has the potential to change their life.
“Sometimes the thing your students need most, right now, has nothing to do with what’s on your lesson plan.”
love always, caitlin
love always, caitlin 
Powerful conversation you had with your student, which demonstrates how you invest time in building trusting relationships.
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I felt this deep in my soul, “Those are the moments I love most about teaching – not the countless times I’m up in front of them, handing out papers, making to-do-lists, or posting to our Google Classroom. It’s when I’m able to vulnerably wear part of myself on my sleeve and connect with a kid in a way that has the potential to change their life.” So true. What a wonderful moment you had with your student. Thanks so much for sharing!
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I feel so grateful that my words were able to resonate with you. Thank you, thank you for taking the time to read and check out my blog. 🙂 It is so uplifting.
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The dialogue between you and your student is what’s really beautiful to read here. Thank you for sharing that moment!
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I’m so impressed with everything about your blog…the title, the layout, your Meet Caitlin section, your tie to Mary Oliver (love, love, lover her!). This slice gets to the heart of who you are-a teacher and and athlete. Blending the two together to help students succeed is brilliant. It is the connection that many need to see to keep going when it gets hard. Keep writing!
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I can’t say thank you enough for the kind words – they mean the world to me and uplifted me so much this week. Thank you for taking the time to peek around my blog! 🙂
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You gave him such powerful support by making the connection to the thing he loves and finds easy. Beautiful!
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There are so many things that are so special about your blog that it’s difficult to pen. However, the part where you move from hockey to basketball is the one that shows me how desperately you tried to speak in his language that he’d understand.
Thanks for this spice.
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Thank you so very much for your words! It is so special to hear. Thank you for taking the time to check out my blog. 🙂 I’m so glad you’re here.
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You are so right in that the message you shared with this boy, in a way that he truly understood, will stay with him. This is why we teach and why it feels so good sometimes. I enjoyed your dialogue because it made me feel like I was there, with you and this sensitive boy. Thanks for such a great share.
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Thank you reading my slice and leaving such a kind comment. I appreciate you pointing out how the dialogue impacted the slice. I’m so grateful you took the time to check out my blog! 🙂
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