A Teachable Moment

A Teachable Moment, in my definition, is when an unplanned opportunity arises to teach a student a valuable lesson. Perhaps in better words, it is the educator's rendition of a Kodak Moment.

So I stumbled upon a teachable moment by chance today, and ended up with a meaningful piece of poetry as a souvenire.

In lieu of Valentine's Day, I gave the 5th graders an assignment to write a poem about someone in their life who they love or care about. The poem had to include description using the 5 senses, as well as "emotion vocabulary" (something we've been learning about throughout the year in my class). So for all the teachers out there who know about lesson plans (which is certainly every single one of them), the goal was to demonstrate the ability to understand and communicate emotion in a written format. In essence, the poem had to represent one's feelings towards another, in a way in which we don't communicate typically, but rather emotionally.

But the lesson didn't go as planned. In fact, who am I kidding, it never does.

It just went. But this time, it actually went better than planned. This does not usually happen.

All educators out there can relate to the dire neccesity of example. When you give a written assignment such as this one, it is important to also give an example. Too bad Shel Silverstene couldn't help me out this time.

So this morning, I entered the building and realized that I had 20 minutes to come up with an example poem. I threw something together about my son, trying to encompass all of the elements that the assignment was going to require. I know not reading self-written things over before you read them to a class is a bad idea. But I didn't have time. And quite frankly, even if I did have time, it was just a damn example.

That's why it caught me by surprise when my eyes filled up with tears while I was reading the end of the poem to the class. I had to pause for a moment just to kill the lump that developed in the bottom of my throat. It's proof that the post-partum baby blues never really do go away.

After I finished reading, the silence that was shared amongst those 5th grade students and I was like nothing I've experienced before. It was a moment where a bunch of 10 and 11 year old children were able to connect with me on an emotional level, and finally the relationship between the teacher and student seemed a bit more authentic.

For the first moment ever in my interaction with students, I was the vulnerable one.

As a counselor, opportunities to share tears of joy and happiness with your clients are usually very rare. It doesn't matter the population- students, adults, inmates, divorcees, whoever. People generally don't enter a counseling relationship because they're happy inside. I spend the bulk of my time with students resolving conflict, or discussing behavior issues, or dealing with anger and sadness. It is rare that we invest any time in the good feelings. Almost to the point where I've forgotten that they still exist. And it is almost never that I disclose any deep feelings about myself.

So the teachable moment was on me. And for once in my 4 years of teaching I reached the goal of my lesson without delivering an ounce of classroom instruction.

Although unedited and far from polished, I decided to leave my poem just the way it was.

A Poem for Avery

Avery is deep blue eyes

And rosy red cheeks.

He is a bright dimply grin

With two bottom teeth.

He is Goodnight Moon

On a rainy summer night.

A bubble bath full of water toys

And a cuddler bundled tight.

Avery is the scent of baby laundry soap

And Johnson's syrupy shampoo,

A Kenny Loggins lullaby,

And the return of Winnie the Pooh.

He is green beans and oatmeal

Stuck to the kitchen floor.

A singing lit up mobile

And an innocent little snore.

Avery is a talking teddy bear,

A bottle full of milk,

A pile of grown out clothes,

And a skin as soft as silk.

He is a rocking chair at 2 a.m.

A jungle monkey bouncy seat

A screecher and a squeeler,

With a voice so soft and sweet.

Avery is discovery and inspiration

he is comfort and admiration.

He is curiosity, and great tempatation.

He is hard work, and some frustration.

He is hope and he is faith.

He is nerves and he is fears.

He is excitement, he is exhaustion.

He is laughs and he is tears.

Avery is the dream of yesterday,

But today's pride and joy.

He is happiness and he is love,

He is forever my baby boy.