Different Kinds of Awards -- and Rewards

Over the past few weeks a group of 40 teachers and administrators prepared and watched each other's presentations as part of our course. I saw excitement and exhaustion across the room! I certainly felt both myself. And yet, while all of our boundaries are expanding technologically, as teachers we had to keep on drivin' the train with all our little passengers on board!

I have a student I will refer to as "B". "B" works hard and quietly. "B" fully reallizes his learning disabilities make basic math a challenge. The other day "B" had real success. The other day, dear reader, "B" successfully conquered some Algebra that up to this point has eluded and discouraged him. Such wonderment! Such pride!

I keep assuring "B" that the real world wants to help people like him. The real world, I say, values hard work and modesty. It's like the fable of the tortoise and the hare, I remind him. Slow and steady really will win the race. I am very lucky to have this student in my life.
"B" may never win the academic awards that are about to be given out in our high school this spring. I am sure there are lots of students who will win even several of the awards. This uneveness seems unfair to me. So, I need to remind myself that it doesn't really matter in the long run. "B" will grow and strive at each phase of his life with compassion rarely found in one so young. "B" gets it, he really does. And, for this dear reader, all the help and encouragement "B" will receive at every turn will be the larger reward. The successes born of diligence will be awards that transcend framed paper. His parents and teachers will be there to remind him.