His Untold Story

September 11, 2020

This is my first year in 3rd grade, but I start every year the same way. Lots of read alouds the first week, setting procedures and routines, and on Friday we have a class meeting. I always end this first Friday with an activity. Students finish a simple sentence for me, something that lets me into their lives just a little bit. Every year I see similar themes in the responses; sports they play, siblings they have, if the prefer one subject over another.

But this year, one sentence has really left me wondering more. This sentence was left unfinished and this might be a story I have to be okay just not knowing.

You see, I have a student who moved to America from Afghanistan less than a year ago. He is beautiful and bright. He is silly and independent. He speaks Pashto, and works relentlessly on retaining the English words I say and write.

So while the others began writing their own thoughts, He copied “I wish my teacher knew…” and turned in his card.

November 18, 2020

I wish I could say these last 2 months I have learned the rest of that unfinished sentence. But that just is not the case right now. However, it brings me such joy to see the growth and progress he is continuing to make. The barriers he faces do not define him and I am so proud of the work ethic he possesses. Even in his small 8 year old self, I admire his bravery and willingness to be vulnerable through each step he has had to take since coming to America. He gives me hope for a better future.

Maybe his story will remain untold to my ears. But I hope one day, he can take all the lessons we learned in my classroom, and share it with the world. Because I know, no matter what language he shares it in, he is worth listening to.