Teachers see wonders

 Teachers see wonders

At our CCSU Literacy Center our teachers work with parents and children who don't always fit those so-called normal learning curves.
On my first day with our teacher, I usually start with the story about the birth of our daughter.
I was in the delivery room with my wife and Betty her mother. My role was to be a positive coach for my wife, and to cut the umbilical cord.
I was like a deer in the headlights when Dr. Rashid said cut the cord Jesse. I started and stopped halfway. I was worried that this might hurt her. Dr. Rashid said cut silly man, cut it doesn't hurt her.
Then they wrap her in a colorful blanket, put a little pink hat on her, and handed her to me. I put her on Carolyn's chest, we cried a little, smiled the biggest smile, and said does she have all her fingers and toes. Dr. Rashid said Carolyn you have a perfect little girl. We already had her name picked out, and Carolyn welcome to the world Erin.
At that moment that perfect little girl won our hearts. We never wondered what grades she would get, what university she would go to, or what kind of dance she might study. Would she play sports like her father? none of those things crossed our minds. All we really knew was she became our wonder, our blessing, our lottery.
I tell my teachers repeat that feeling of wonder 8 billion times. These children who come to us are not test scores, they are the wonders of their parents. We celebrate their wonders here in our Literacy Center.

Let us teachers begin with seeing their wonder, and the rest will be easy,
Dr. Jesse P. Turner

If you like to listen to the tune that motivated my morning walk this morning its "Wonder" by Natalie Merchant > https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6zpYFAzhAZY <