Forgery and Forgiveness on a Friday Afternoon

During these first few weeks of school I've found  that I've been focusing a lot on discipline and keeping my students in line. Teaching them to not only respect me but each other has played a key part in my daily lessons. Yet after today I found that when it comes to students, sometimes being understanding can go miles farther than being stern.

Each day I have my kids turn in their homework folders and I go through each one, taking out papers and seeing who did or did not complete their assignments. I came across a folder of one of my students who had had a bad habit of forgetting to do parts of his assignments or not turning them in at all. As I sifted through his work I found a paper with a suspicious looking parent signature. I called him over to my desk and asked him about it. After a few lies he finally confessed that he had signed it. I met Principal outside and the three of us marched to his office.
I handed him the paper and I explained what had happend. Principal asked my student about it and he was truthful. Instead of yelling though, Principal spoke gently but directly. Although he made it clear that what he did was wrong, not once did he raise his voice. Composure was all about him. As Principal continued I saw tears begin to well in my student's eyes.

Now, I've gotten to a point where I'm immune to pouting and crocodile tears, but this was different. I could tell that the realization of what he did was wrong had hit him harder than I expected. It hurt me to watch him get in trouble and see him feel so bad. An experience I've never had before. He then turned to me (I still can't get the picture of his face out of my head), with tears streaming from his brown, almond shaped eyes he said in a shakey voice, "I'm sorry Ms. Jameson." I swallowed hard as I told him I forgave him.

As we left the office he gave me a hug and I walked him to P.E. Parents have told me that things are different when you have your own kids because you raise them and they're part of you. I think the same goes for when you have your own students. You love them and want whats best for them, eventhough they're not biologically yours. Although there are times where they deserve to be in trouble, it's always hard to see them hurting.

Thanks to that short, twenty minute office visit my heart is a little softer.