One For Ray

Two Saturday's ago one of my students' dad passed away. The 11 year old boy, Ray, is easy going, funny and a true ladies man. He can flirt with the best of 'em. Today was his first day back to school. He definitely was down but he's a strong kid. I would've loved to listen to him if he needed to talk but I feel like coming to school is a wonderful distraction from the saddening fact that he will never walk through his front door and see his dad reading the paper or cooking dinner, or share a laugh with him over an inside joke that mom wouldn't approve of. The boy will never be able to cheers his dad, his father won't see him get married, heck, Ray will never introduce a girlfriend. Ray won't have his dad to put him in his place when talking back to his mother or coming home with a poor report card (not that I think Ray will have one, he's a really smart kid.)
The death of a parent is hard for any son or daughter, no matter the age. Not that I have felt that pain personally but I've seen the sorrow on other's faces. I truly cannot fathom the agony this boy must feel. I wonder if he realizes that his father is forever gone. Only one week after the fact, at such a young age, how could he? It makes me sad. But I'm gonna help this boy as much as possible. In class I'll teach him well and keep him in check when he goofs off. If he needs to talk, I'll lesson. If he needs to cry, I'll be there and try to keep my eyes dry. This is a thing I've come to realize about teaching. It's not only about memorizing irregulars verbs and prononcing 'glacier' correctly. You have to be a role model, friend, and mentor. I'm a male parental figure (as much one can be for 25 to 45 minutes a day) for many of these kids. And I plan on stepping it up with/for Ray. You have to pass on the things you've learned throughout your life to the younger one's. That's what I plan on doing.
These kids can teach you a lot also, albeit sometimes completely unintentionally. They teach you about yourself, about culture, about family, about caring for others, about parental and societal pressures, about the beauty of life and procreation, about the innocence and mischiviousness of humans, about love, and, sadly, about death.
It'll take time but Ray's gonna be OK...I'm gonna try my hardest to see to it.