Here is a pulls-at-the-heartstrings story, but it reaffirms my decision to become a teacher.
Today, little Johnny came into class with a new shirt on- it had jack-o-lanterns all over it, which we have been talking about for the past month in books and in songs. He is a small, thin boy with a huge smile and he was beaming about his new shirt. I could tell that he was in a really good mood, even though he can't speak with verbs yet, so he couldn't say it himself. Anyway, he ran over to his table and finished his activity as quickly as anyone else. Johnny sits at the "special ed" table (the implied label which is never used), but when his aide his isn't there, he often works more productively. Anyway, everything was going smoothly. Then, after computers, the special ed aide came.

First, it was fine. However, he kept Johnny at the table after the other children had been sent to the carpet for storytime. The aide let him come over after five minutes, but when Johnny sat down, he was naturally distracted by his untied shoe lace. The aide said, "Johnny, you need to look" [at the teacher]. When he didn't look immediately, the aide physically picked him up and made him go back to his table to write his name over and over for the next 15 minutes. After Johnny did it successfully 10 times, he still kept him there. When we all lined up to go to lunch, Johnny was crying at his table. I'm sorry, but it breaks my heart!! He can't speak any English, so he can't stand up for himself with the teacher. He only wanted to be part of the class, to look at the book with his friends, and not to be kept so obviously apart.

This is who teachers need to fight for: the little children who can't stand up for themselves. If schools are underfunded, these are the little children who feel it first. When children are treated like test scores, these are the children who are needlessly held back. And if we don't create a caring environment in the classroom, these are the children who drop out before graduation. I bet he chose to buy that shirt just because he was excited about what he was learning in school. I'm such a tender heart, but that makes me cry. It gives me a goal and a definite purpose though, too.

Wowza, sorry this post is so long :>