Perspective

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Perspective

  • September 2, 2026
  • Posted by: Emilie Flynn
  • Category: Uncategorized
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Last year, I met JR. He was a spicy fifth grader who would rather do ANYTHING other than personalized learning with me in the LSEM Room. He “hated” school, he “hated” pull-out services, he “hated” me. How did I know? Well, JR was not shy when it came to extraordinary behaviors – you name it; he did it.  

 As a teacher I knew he was really saying, “I don’t trust you.” You see, it was my first year working with JR; I didn’t know him, and he didn’t know me. We needed to develop a relationship. That was not easy. At one point, we even had supervised learning sessions because of his aggressive actions and words. By the end of the year, I prepared his sixth-grade team for an unpredictable, explosive child. We met with Dad to add transparency and say, “We may be the most loving environment, but we may not be able to meet the academic or emotional needs of your son.” Dad agreed but was defeated too.  

 Then, there was a shift. Sixth grade started and JR began to change. He was looking forward to my help and was eager to please his teachers. Did JR’s backpack miraculously get organized? Did he turn in every assignment? Did he leap into grade-level learning? No. What changed was his perspective. He trusted his teachers; he trusted me. This year, we added more accommodations, and for the first time, we included modifications. Among one of the most important changes was an accommodation that allowed him to play sports despite academic eligibility as long as he was working in class and attempting every assignment. We stopped penalizing him. He felt confident – he felt successful.  

 Does he have rough days? Of course. Do some of those “words” still slip from his mouth? Yes. But now I can say to him, “You seem like you’re having a bad day. What’s up?” JR will talk about what he is feeling and then “get over it.” He wants to be heard. He will say things like, “I hate that teacher…” To which I reply, “You don’t really hate that teacher. Math is just hard for you. That’s what you don’t like.” And, he’ll say, “That’s true.” So, it really is more about perspective. It’s not Special Education. It’s Student Enrichment – it’s Student Empowerment! When you feel loved, you can love back. You can feel safe. 

 Remain in God’s love and BE a channel for that love. 

9 “As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. 10 If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love. 11 I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. 12 My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. 13 Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. 14 You are my friends if you do what I command. 15 I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you. 16 You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit—fruit that will last—and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you. 17 This is my command: Love each other. John 15:9-17