Pleasant Surprise

Teaching sixth grade can be a fun experience. It's trying sometimes (especially the spring), but in the end it's worth it. You get to know some really neat kids and sometimes you get to help them out just a little bit.

I have this new student in class. She moved here from Fargo over the summer to live with her dad and step mom. Step mom is probably my age, maybe a little younger, and VERY pregnant. As a matter of fact, I found out today she's going to be induced tomorrow. Dad has been in Iraq since Christmas, so the step-mom has been working really hard to help make this student's transition as smooth as possible. However, she's having a hard time because she was expecting to have to raise the baby (when it came), but only visit with the step-daughter on holidays. Now she's trying to navigate parenthood with a teenager that she hasn't spend a whole lot of time with. They're both working really hard at it, and doing a fine job I must say. I have received the periodic email asking how the Step mom can help her daughter with the math and reading, and trying to stay in touch and make sure she gets her work done, but she doesn't want to be micromanaging everything. Like I said, they're both doing a wonderful job.

Anyway, back to today. I walked into the office this afternoon and saw the step mom signing out the student. But what made it even better was the student's dad was there. He was in his dessert camouflage and had his beret and everything. He had surprised his wife with his arrival and they had come to get the student early. We have new "security" measures in place here at school, and very seldom are parents allowed to get their child by coming to the classroom. I figured, "Screw that." This was way too important. So I brought the parents back to the room and went and got the student from orchestra. Now keep in mind she hadn't seen her dad since January. I must say there was not a dry eye in the room.

I thought how wonderful it was that this man was going to be here to see his child born, but also be able to spend time with his daughter. This poor girl was going to have to stay with friends in the neighborhood until the 20th because the in-laws can't come in from Fargo until then. Now, she doesn't have to because her dad is home.

I'm not sure if he's here on the two week break or if he's home for awhile. Today was not a time to ask.

It truly was a pleasant surprise.