On that fateful night, when I sent a FB message to the Ukrainian Club in Singapore, I wasn’t sure if my idea would come to fruition. So, I had the grandiose idea of having my students write encouraging notes so that Ukrainian children could read and derive comfort from them. I was concerned that the Ukrainians might not even know English in the first place. I was concerned that my students might not take to Padlet so readily. Above all, I was concerned that my students would just write notes and no traction would be genervated out of it. That their efforts would languish in some dusty corner of the web.  

Still, I held my breath and sent the FB message. Just because.  

To cut a long story short, an Ukrainian lady just messaged me to inform that she had created a website that enabled us to send encouraging notes to Ukrainian students. AND MY STUDENTS’ PADLET WAS USED AS AN EXAMPLE! You should check out the website (www.withu.today).  

Yes, the caps represent how my soul is shouting at the top of its lungs. How waves of ecstasy reverberated through my entire being. I think it cut to the core of my beliefs as a teacher.  

I hope those who have had the privilege/misfortune to be under my tutelage graduate from my charge, believing in the power of their voice, the value of their words, and the impact of their action. That they can always do something, even when they feel helpless. That they matter, even if they are a small speck of dust in this vast universe.
 

I don’t often succeed, which is why I’m deliriously happy when I think I hit a home run by accident.