A sympathetic first-grader schooled me in the art of compassion.
It wasn’t the first time we were together. She is part of a class of roughly 25 students I have subbed for several times throughout this school year. They generally are a good group, but their increasing noise level put the kibosh on the day’s last subject - a read aloud from ‘Same, Same but Different’, a book that is designed to support their social-emotional learning [or SEL].
I yelled for quiet, again. Which was the fifth time that day. My voice was hoarse and cracking from shouting over them.
The kids were scared silent and exhausted from being berated.
I thought to myself: Maybe I was the one who needed the read aloud.
What was supposed to be an easy segue from recess turned into a regrettable close to the end of the school day.
Enter seven-year-old Roberta, a freckled-faced, curly orange-red head full of kindness. If I envisioned her as a Peanuts’ character, she could easily bookend Linus as one of Charlie Brown’s most trusted confidants.
Here is an example of a s
ocial-emotional lesson plan.
Unfortunately, we never got around to the read-aloud of this book.
Roberta’s classmate and good friend Nathaniel got into it with another boy during recess. Nathaniel was inconsolable in the aftermath. What most upset him wasn’t the skirmish itself, but rather the prospect that his dad would rip into him for what had happened.
Nathaniel could not stop crying. He continued bawling as he re-entered the school building after recess, up the stairs to the classroom, and then put his head down at his desk.
As the kids were locating their rug spots for the read-aloud - before ultimately being asked to return to their seats because they couldn’t stop talking - Roberta approached me and said: “May I sit next to Nathaniel and give him some love? He’s had a rough day.”
“Of course, and thank you,” I said.
They proceeded to sit together; Nathaniel immediately stopped crying.
I was moved. Roberta taught me a valuable lesson in being emotionally intelligent.
In being self-aware. In being self-managed. In being socially aware. In possessing relationship skills. In responsible decision-making.
Unknowingly, through her words and actions, Roberta demonstrated the areas of competence that fundamentally comprise SEL.
Today is the last day of school for New York City students.
I still have some learning to do.