I opened up my email tonight to find a message from the principal. She grievously informed us that 4 students had been in a car accident over the weekend. One student died; the others went to the hospital. I knew that girl who died. She worked as my teacher's assistant in first period and was a lovely girl. Honestly, when I first heard the news I was in shock and couldn't react. Afterwards, I shed some tears in thinking of her and her family. My heart is truly broken for them. It is hard to now think of this young lady and know that she will no longer light up my classroom during first period.
I am struck with how much love I have for my students. I really didn't know this girl for very long, only a few months. Still, I see every one of my students and imagine a long and beautiful future for all of them. I imagine friends, high school dance, college acceptance letters, jobs, dates, marriages, families, and futures where the things they have learned in my class will impact how they see the world and how they communicate their opinions and values. I see happiness when I look at my students. I see hardships as well as victories when I look at my students.
This news of the accident will obviously effect us for the rest of the school year. This week we have state testing (whelp, I'm thinking quite a few students aren't going to do very well because they will be mentally preoccupied with other emotions). I just pray that I can be a caring and understanding teacher to those students who were especially close to this girl. I want to be able to discern how to best help them through this time of sadness and mourning. I guess we will all just take it one day at a time.
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