Tender.

This morning as Martin was up reading the Morning Message and then answering a few ‘challenge’ questions about the message (find a word with three syllables, find a word that stars with the /L/ sounds, etc.), I noticed Mrs. D. smiling at me. Not knowing what she was grinning at (I can be equally distracted and clueless), she finally motioned with her head. Martin was leaning on my leg as he worked. I hadn’t even noticed.

Kids do offer these small, tender gestures all the time. Unlike the overt hug, these little signs of affection are not extravagant or showy. Whether a head leaning on you in while you wait outside the cafeteria for lunch or placing a hand on your shoulder when you kneel down to assist with writing, these are just another quiet way your students express how much you mean.

In the hectic whirlwind that early education classes often become, it’s easy to overlook these small representations of caring and trust our sprouts feel for us. Try not to let them go unnoticed like I almost did today. Find them. Cherish them. Be grateful.