Day 8: Throwing it Back to Day 4, iMatter

It was one of those days...you know the type.

I went to bed to late the night before...trying to keep up with this Blog-a-Day challenge. I then had a nightmare and tossed and turned the rest of the night.

I told my kiddos what a horrible night I had, and asked if anyone else had trouble sleeping, when 95% of the class raised their hand, I knew it would be a stellar day...and it was. One of those when you are wondering if anyone is listening...if any attention getter will ever work...if you will make it through to the end of the day and then it happened...

I was spray painting flower pots during the peace of recess time. I was down on the library rug, which the kids had picked at so relentlessly that it now looked horrendous. I figured I'd use it to catch the paint and then toss it...it was then I heard a knock on the door, then another, then another. Ugh! I thought to myself, I can't even get 15 minutes! I need alone time. The knocking continued, with periodic breaks. I decided to just wait it out...unwillingly to crawl off the floor into a standing position. Theoretically I could be in the office or the bathroom...I thought...

The bell rang and I assumed the position. As I opened the classroom door...it was then that I saw it...the reason for the knocking. Scrawled across the asphalt in front of my portable was this:

My former student, now a first grader, had written it during recess.

The stress, the exhaustion, the ruined rug all faded into the background...it no longer mattered. iMattered.

I had made such an impact on this kiddo that she chose to spend her recess time to let me know.

I was speechless.