Question:
As leaders, does one have to balance the gestures of kindness or acts of goodwill because of not being able to do it for everyone?
Example:
Student A is ill and misses a school event, and you are made aware of the illness/student sadness.
Do you respond, reach out, & **insert kind gesture here**…for student A…
or
do nothing because there are always students who are ill and you’d be creating a precedent?
So very interested in your thoughts!!
StruggleN,
Amber
We have students ill on a regular basis. Unfortunately students miss school and this time of the year (December) illness seems to strike at a higher rate.
With that being said, the show must go on. I receive a report, daily of who is absent from school and I do my very best to welcome the students back upon their return and let them know how much we missed them.
I’m sure there are extreme cases where a teacher or leader can go out of their way but it should not be the expectation.
If you are sick you are sick. The sickness is the very reason you are not at school.
Right?
In my hypothetical tho…this was on a special event day…so not the norm…
But, yes, there were other kids out too.
If leaders, heck, people, only did kind things when they could be done for all, what would that world look like?
What type of special event day?
One could argue that everyday at school is a special event!
Like ur poetry slam… a tradition, one that they had been looking too…
I think you go with your gut…and your knowledge. In this particular situation you were made aware that the student was extremely sad to miss this important event, so it makes it all the more reason to reach out. Every situation is different, and every child is different. Looking at a case-by-case situation may be best. Plus, you do LOTS of other things to go above and beyond to make your students feel loved! That’s what it’s all about!
Thanks for ur input, KB!
There are several at-risk children at our school whose home lives are difficult and I spend a lot of time building genuine relationship with them. I do make a special effort to connect by phone if they are gone more than one day. I hope my caring gestures make the parent stop and think about the home environment they themselves are creating for their children.
Each child/staff is special. If you are aware of the Iliness, reach out. That child/staff is a vital part of your school community. Acknowledging their absences makes the feel valued.
My comment from experience is that you handle each case on an individual case by case basis. Showing compassion shows your human side that people need to see.
Complication of kindness?……it IS a thing because someone else makes it a thing. I don’t believe that it is reasonable to expect the exact same treatment for everyone all the time, but the desire to be kind should be consistent. I don’t like the idea of holding back because you might not be able to do the same for everyone else. I appreciate the opportunity to wrestle with the idea today. Something to think about for sure…..
PV, right?? That was my struggle too!! I appreciate your response!!
Check into “Wish well ritual” from Conscious Discipline. Many teachers do this on campuses that I work at so it puts the responsibility back on the class and is a great model for students.