Tough

Middle School is tough. Twice this week I have felt honored to have students come to me with different issues. One was a 7th grade boy. One of his friends had started another baseball team and he wasn't picked to be on it. This particular boy is one that has a good heart but gets in trouble sometimes. I was surprised that he told me about it. But it just made me sit and think that sometimes when kids are not paying attention, or they're grumpy-it could (and often is) be about friendship issues.
The second one was a girl who stopped in and just said, "Mrs. Wopat? I don't know what to do. I really, really, really don't want to eat in the lunchroom." So I asked her waht's going on and she told me she was fighting with her friends and couldn't sit anywhere else. I let her sit for a while and she didn't really want to talk, but I told her she could stay as long as she wants. She stayed the whole time and I told her if she ever needed to talk, I'm here.
Also this week I agreed to play in the staff vs. students basketball game. Ahhhh. I stink at basketball, so that should be....interesting.
These kind of things remind me of why I am a teacher. To be there, to help, to connect, to build relationships. The most important part.