Notes from public school - day 31

In her wonderful novel Wonder, R.J. Palacio encourages us to “choose kind.”

The main character, Auggie, is born with a severe facial deformity. 

When he goes to school for the first time in fifth grade, he learns that kindness changes the world.

I teach at a Title 1 school.

This means that most of our students and their families are below, at or just above the federal poverty level.

This means the struggle is real for them to put food on the table, clothes on the body, a roof over the head, and healthcare that can keep you well.

They work hard, very hard, roofing buildings, cleaning motel rooms, standing in factory production lines...but it’s hard to make ends meet.

I wish you could see the students I stand before who wear shirts that are threadbare around the necks and sleeves, pants that rise up above the ankles, and holey shoes that came to them as hand-me-downs from older siblings or neighbors or donators from Good Will.

Every day I sit with them at the lunch table and watch them eat every bite of food on their tray and devour every snack they are offered because they are “food insecure.” They’re not sure if supper will be on the table when they get home because there might not be enough money in the bank account to buy it.

Yet, despite their economic poverty, my students and their families are wonderfully kind.

“Mr. Barton, I have a surprise for you,” I hear my students say over and over again.

“Close your eyes and hold out your hand,” they say.

Then, with smiles on their faces as bright as the sunshine and twinkles in their brown eyes as sparkly as starlight, they give a coffee mug, or a picture of a whale or a piece of chocolate or a Coca Cola souvenir to me.

I look at the gifts, sometimes with tear drops rolling down my cheeks, because I know they were little tokens of love given out of scarcity rather than plenty.

I know they were little tokens of love.

I took a picture of some these gifts I received just this week.

Can you see the kindness in each one?

I can.

Kindness changes the world.

Kindness changes my school.

Kindness changes my students.

Kindness changes me.

Choose kindness.