My daughter Kallea is almost three, and being a father has been the greatest blessing of my life. Being a dad is tough, and I feel like I have been crying non-stop for three years with either sad or happy tears.
Watching her grow up is fascinating, and I notice how incredible of a learner she is and how she has moments of great independence already, but can be followed up immediately by a need for support.
Here’s the deal…I have no clue how well she will do academically in school. She is incredibly smart in my eyes, but I genuinely believe that some of our smartest kids in school are not strong academically and we need to appreciate and celebrate their intelligence.
Here is what I do need to know, and I know we have control over.
- Will she feel valued in school?
- Will her teachers look to find and bring out her talents and strengths, or only focus on developing things she struggles to do?
- If she misses time in school, will she feel that her contributions are missed?
These are hopes I not only have for my daughter, but they are things that I strive for in my work for every single student during their entire time in education. I know nothing is ever that simple, but these are three questions I think about often. Of course, nothing will ever be 100%, and we all struggle to be the best we can be (I have realized this as a parent), but these three questions are ones that I believe could have a significant impact on all kids, as well as our staff.
