Many years ago in a high school far, far away I had a student who had no faith in herself or others. Her life was miserable and difficult. Far more difficult than my own. She was one of four young women named Heather who took my drama class, my “four Heathers” drama class.  I invested everything I had in that class and this is the story of how that worked out for one of them.  It will seem like I am tooting my own horn, but instead I am just indicating a powerful proof of concept for a teaching value I have held from my earliest days of substituting to even now as a retired teacher:  always believe in your students.

 

 

You always believe in your students because you can’t know.  I am not being pollyannaish about this. Every week I see a former student’s name in the District Court cases. This says more about the profound, societal dead end most of those folks faced.  I was not Mr. Chips for everyone. My point is that we pour out the energy of ourselves as best we can for as long as we can and we believe in that.  This is what is rendered unto the adjacent possible.  I give Heather full props for pulling her life together so fully.  Bless her and her family below.

 

Believe. What in the world do you have to lose? Exactly. Nothing. Everything.