This past week I had the opportunity to attend a National Training Institute on Effective Practices for working with children with challenging behaviors. Although I am well versed in the model the Institute was built on, I was reminded how important relationships are in our lives. In fact, this model suggests strong, positive relationships should be the foundation of a classroom and are the first "layer" in preventing challenging behaviors from developing. So, once again I was encouraged to just dream about what would happen in classrooms across our nation if teachers took time to build strong, positive relationships with all children and their families. All children are deserving of this person in their life!
Tonight I have the television on for noise as I am grading, grading, grading. Since we do not have cable, the best option I have is Npt. I know it's sappy, but sometimes it really does have a program that is educational. Tonight there is a program about senior adults who have created this group called the Young at Heart Chorus. They spend hours on end practicing and are under the leadership of a talented director who really pushes them to improve. The documentary captures the struggles but also the joys of being elderly, as many of those in the chorus are well over 70 and in poor health.
On the program, they filmed the group performing at a prison. Sitting outside with hundreds of inmates as their audience, the chorus performs a beautiful show with uplifting and encouraging songs. Despite having lost one of their soloists that morning to a heart attack, the group performs with joy and enthusiasm. The inmates gave the group a standing ovation! Afterwards, each of the senior adults went out into the group of inmates and spoke with them. Many of the inmates were smiling and even kissing the ladies on the cheek. There were many hugs, handshakes, and thank yous exchanged. Several inmates told the group that the performance was the best of their lives. And, I cannot help but think, "what if?"
Research tells us that children under the age of 5 with challenging behaviors who do not get appropriate intervention (part of which includes meaningful and strong, positive relationships) have a high probability of incarceration. So, I wonder. . . Did those inmates have anyone in their life who cared enough to build a true relationship with them? What if someone had? What difference could one person have made in their lives? If someone had invested in them could they have changed the course of that inmate's life? What if someone invested in them now? How could one strong, positive relationship change the course of an inmate's life? What if?
