Tickets

    We had a family in our school this last week that lost their infant brother to heart issues. To allow the fifth grade teacher to attend the funeral to support and encourage her student, I was filling the fifth grade teaching spot for the day since I had a student teacher covering fourth grade. Something touched me that I observed in the fifth grade classroom…and I thought I'd share.

This (above) was hanging on the wall. The fifth graders receive 'tickets' as rewards for good behavior, extra effort in class, etc. These reward tickets are then traded in for prizes, privileges, etc. Some fifth grader (I tried to guess by the handwriting, but I'm not quite sure) had made this little pocket and sign and had hung them on the wall by the front of the room. At first, when I handed out some tickets and saw a girl walk up to the pocket quietly and put her ticket inside, I thought it odd that she stored her reward tickets up front, but then I looked more carefully at it. This little pocket / sign was an opportunity for their classmates to donate tickets to the student who just lost his brother. It touched me that they would organize such a thing for their classmate.

Now, I know that reward tickets pale in the face of such a loss as this student is dealing with. But, from the prospective of a fifth grade student, this was something practical and something they could do 100% by themselves. As far as I know, no teacher or adult encouraged them to do this or had anything to do with the planning, etc. I know many families have contributed in various ways to help this family, but fifth graders don't have much money all their own to give. I thought it was amazingly sweet that they gave of what they had to help someone else. I didn't mention it that day and I don't think they are looking for it to be noticed, but it touched my heart to see their hearts in such a quiet way.

It made my day and encouraged me to give of what I have….maybe it will encourage others as well.