He was walking down the hall to his next class. Papers were sticking out everywhere, books were stacked every which way, and his pencils stuck out like swords. He was a walking mess of school supplies just waiting on a wreck.
He bumped into a classmate and some of his stuff scattered to the floor. A girl noticed, not knowing I was watching. She left her circle of friends to help him. She picked up what he dropped, tucked it into his pile, and helped him on his way.
I am not really sure what makes an eleven year old girl act with such maturity and kindness, but it sure makes a teacher feel proud when one of his students acts like that. It also serves as a reminder of just how caring some kids treat their peers.
Too often we hear the other side of today's kids with all the media focus on bullying, but the fact is, kids are what makes a school great. And in my second week at a different school, a girl made me proud to be a part of Salt Creek Intermediate School.
Image from http://www.school-clipart.com