Finding my starfish

Ever hear the story of the old man, the young man, and the beach filled with starfish? Give it a quick read. Today has been a day of working with students who need help finding their way back to the water. Here are some of my notes in my teacher log, names changed, as always:

• Talked with Ms G. Becky is suffering from OCD and PTSD that seems to stem from abuse at her father's hands that left her scared to read and write. I suggested she look into the possibility of obtaining a 504 Plan through her doctor and sent her information on the subject. I also sent her a link to download Audacity so she can complete work orally when unable to write.


• Brittany call me for clarification of her assignments in Week 2. She is still in the center of a custody battle after her mother's recent death and is in semi-hiding at a friend's house. I will only call her one her cell phone until her aunt assumes custody. Meanwhile, Brittany is doing extremely well in her assignments and is very thoughtful about her work.

This is the point where my heart starts to reach out to these students, creating emotional faces that I cannot quite see but want to assure that everything will be okay.