As I thought about that driver and my reaction to it, this thought surfaced: "You don't know what he is dealing with." I pondered that. That driver may be having a bad day or dealing with some serious issues. I didn't know what was going on in his life. And, if I did, I would probably treat him differently, or at least feel differently about the situation. (My reflective nature strikes again.)
As I continued to think about this, the image of one of the kids in my class popped into my head. I just learned something about her. She daily is dealing with something that I was unaware of. And that set me to thinking about relationships between teachers and kids.
Often I hear teachers talking about kids...the kids that frustrate them. I do that, too. But I don't know what that child is dealing with in his life. Maybe things are unsettled at home. Maybe he has an unseen or undiagnosed disorder. Or maybe he didn't get enough sleep. Or maybe his older brother or younger sister upset him. Or whatever. Sometimes I need to relax and try to assess the situation. What can I do to make things more smooth? Or maybe I just need to relax and let some things go. Yes, I need to deal with behavior that is destructive or persistent. But sometimes I just need to take a deep breath and go with the flow.
