Praise

I have had a tough few days at work. As I reflect, I have a tendency to let the negative outweigh the positive.

I have a student that transferred in from an alternative school a few years ago. He does not like change and was not happy about his transfer during the last few weeks of school. He made it clear to me that he didn't like me nor want anything to do with me. Sorry Charlie, nothing I could do.

Fast forward almost two years, he is a few months from graduating. He walks up and hands me a single Hershey Kiss. I really thought it was a joke or that he had licked it first. I asked what's this. He told me that it was a kiss for me. I said ok. The other teacher in the room asked what he was doing. He told her he gave me a chocolate kiss because I have always encouraged him and pushed him and that he may not be in school right now without that. He said he could be on the streets doing whatever but he's in school and graduating.

It did not really hit me until this evening what he had said. I want to cry. That was one of my best gifts ever. I will be there in June yelling when he walks across the stage.