Can't we read...just one more?

Katie is wearing me thin. It's not her fault, and I know this. She is very much so ADHD and jumbles all her letters around. She doesn't want to take the time to sound out words or bother asking me what they are. So her reading consists a lot of mumbles and dropped letters which I then have to make the decision to ignore or go over. If we were in a room, locked for an allotted time, with no interference - She would do well, I think.

Today my darling Viviana's teacher put a note in her folder saying that she hasn't improved, and is two grade levels low. I honestly don't know what drugs she's on... Viviana can read every book we have. If she doesn't know a word, she sounds it out. If she doesn't know the meaning of a word she asks, and is able to retain that information. So... not sure what else I can do except buy her higher level books... Today she was doing state testing so Lyle pulled students from another class.

This is where I met Gage. I saddened little boy that looked like he was carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders. I immediately wanted to hug him and shower him with happiness. He picked out a Clifford book, and I began to read to him. (He's only in kindergarten so, yes.) After the first book he grabbed another, and looked slightly less sad. After Are You My Mother, he grabbed Oh the Places You'll Go! or see... or something. Honestly, one of the best kid books ever and totally relateable to my life. Like, a lot. I was like -- wow, awesome. And then he picked up the Giving Tree. I almost started crying, it's so sad the boys just an asshat and the tree gives so much. That's how life is, you give and give until all you are is a stump. When that was over we were 5 min. past time, and he had grabbed another book. I tried to lure him away, but he just got really sad. He was actually smiling and happy and such by the end of the Giving Tree. Lyle had to trick him saying he could read more if he asked his teacher to get him to leave. Even then Gage was very hesitant. I fell in love with that little boys sad face and his quiet demeanor. 

I've been trying to decide what grade I want to teach and get my cert's in. After the pee boy of last week I didn't think that I could handle elementary school kids. Now, I'm not so sure. If I could get the same measure of reward I got by seeing Gage's eyes start to brighten and make him go from emo-ness to smiling -- I may very well have to choose elementary school as my interest area. This is hard!