by Dr. Marcus Jackson May 29, 2018

That child who’s struggling to find their place in this world, I understand that child.

That child who’s struggling in reading and mathematics, I understand that child.

That child who hates to sit in a desk, be still, and listen to a lecture for an hour, I understand that child.

That child who finds it difficult to be quiet in class all day, I understand that child.

That child who gets excited when they know an answer, and yells it out as opposed to raising their hand, I understand that child.

That child who feels as if they were dealt a bad hand in life, I understand that child.

That child who wishes they had a dad, I understand that child.

That child who’s unable to see the purpose of an education, I understand that child.

That child who has nightmares in the daytime, I understand that child.

That child who has so many other things on their mind, and is consumed with their present situation as opposed to a topic in a history class that happened 300 years ago, I understand that child.

That child who was never considered smart or capable of advanced placement, I understand that child.

That child who’s terrified of graduation because they didn’t do well on the ACT or SAT and feels defeated, I understand that child.

That child who graduated and doesn’t understand why he must take remediation reading and math classes in college, I understand that child.

However, that child can be successful if surrounded by loving teachers and caring adults that believe in them in spite of their flaws.

That child can navigate their way through the jungle of education and life, if provided a compass or navigational system (mentor).

That child can become a productive citizen in spite of their trials, tribulations, and obstacles they had to overcome.

Therefore, I’ll never give up on that child who appears to be disconnected from school, who has lost hope, who’s struggling academically, who’s consumed at times about their current living situation, who struggles to handle their emotions, and who’s unable to see a positive outcome for their future.

Why am I so connected to this child?
Because I was that child!