I had all my steps in before 8:15 this morning. 😂
One of our second graders rode his bike to school and was convinced his water bottle had fallen out of his backpack somewhere along the way.
And not just any water bottle.
The famous green Gatorade bottle with the orange lid.
He was worried because his grandma was going to be mad.
So we looked.
We checked the front office. Nothing had been turned in.
We checked the sidewalks in front of school.
Then we retraced his route and walked several blocks down the street looking for that green bottle.
Nothing.
When we got back to school, another teacher helped him pump up his flat bike tire so he’d be able to ride home.
Then I spotted our custodian out back and asked if he’d happened to see a green Gatorade bottle.
“It’s in the cafeteria.”
Of course it was. 😂
Right where this little guy had started his morning.
It must have slipped out of his backpack when he set everything down for breakfast.
We spent about 15 minutes on our little adventure, and you know what?
I learned a lot about one kid in those 15 minutes.
I learned about his bike.
I learned about his grandma.
I learned what worries him.
We talked while we walked.
And he learned something about me, too.
He learned that when something matters to him, it matters enough for an adult at his school to walk a few blocks and help him look for it. He also learned that my grown kids had the same water bottles when they were his age.
Was searching for a green Gatorade bottle anywhere in my lesson plans today?
Nope. 😊
But maybe it was one of the more important things I did.
Teacher Truth: Sometimes the most important part of your day isn’t on the lesson plan.
Sometimes it’s simply letting a child know:
What matters to you matters to me, too. ❤️
I love my little school.
See you next Wednesday for another Teacher Truth.
Cheering you on,
Jodi