Conversation with a Student

“I can’t wait until this weekend!” One of my young 6th grade boys said to me. His eyes were filled with excitement.

“Why?” I ask with all my attention on him. We’d just finished the reading part 3 on our state assessment and everyone had some down time before starting the next activity.

“I get to go to Salt Lake City and play a hockey tournament,” he said. As he said it he just beamed. This young man that earlier today had knocked another student with his clipboard when he was supposed to be doing an exponent game with him using dice and a game board. After I separated them, he pouted and laid his head down refusing to work.

“Well, that is exciting. What position do you play?” I ask. Knowing that I know absolutely nothing about hockey and hoping I can fake it well.

“I just got switched to defense. My coach says he wants me there because I’m fast.” Again.. he’s just beaming.

He then proceeds to tell me about the different skating moves and how if you’re given a penalty you get put in the “sin bin” aka penalty box.

I smile and am still smiling thinking about it. Wow, in that 5 min. I learned a lot about that young man. A boy that has a severe reading disability and very few successes at school. So glad his mother knows to keep him involved in things he IS successful at.

So grateful for that conversation and his initiation of it. Hoping it leads to more trust and sense of community and…er.. less clipboard incidents.