Why

There are occasional days, like yesterday, where I wonder why bother with all the hard work and stress.  After several months of struggling to see progress with students, constant juggling of work priorities, and feeling like I am constantly dropping the ball at work I was really feeling the why.

Today I had a great big answer.

A student with whom I work had an amazing day.  In September this little guy quite seriously told me that he can't read.  Wouldn't even pick up a book.  So we have been working on literacy in little bits and pieces.  Those bits and pieces were so bitty that I lost sight of the big picture.

Today something magical happened.  Bits and pieces gelled into reading independently for the first time.  Eight books in a row.  He was so thrilled with his success that he didn't want to quit.  It was so incredible that I had tears in my eyes.  He was giggling about what he read and actually having fun!  Then he was giggling because I was silly enough to cry about it.

Watching a child who struggles with almost every aspect of school read all by himself is a treasure so far beyond all the millions of dollars that anyone can ever amass.  And I got to see it up close and personal today.

That's why.