~on the subject of do overs~

One of the things that I have never regretted as a teacher is the chance to give students "do overs". It has happened many times over the past nearly 40 years.  Maybe it was a spelling test that some kid forgot to study for or a math quiz that really didn't make all that much sense to them at the time.  It could have been the writing assignment that was handed in much too quickly, and I realized that they had the potential to do so much better.  It may well have been the day that as a class, they were way too noisy and rather than taking away recess, I tried giving them something instead.

The gift was a chance to have a "do over" the next day.  

I never thought much about it, just figured it was good teaching practice.  Last year though, one of my students in the 5th grade language arts class asked me the question of why I gave them a second chance so many times.

"Mrs. Renfro, how come is it that you are so nice to us?  Why do you always give us another chance ?  We really don't deserve it."

Her words, quite innocently said, caught me off guard for the moment.  I'm not sure that I had ever thought about that kind of question. Yet I took them to heart and remembered them.  I told her that it was because I was raised that way and that I'd been given plenty of second chances myself.  My life's resume is filled with them, given by people who knew I could do much more.  They held me accountable to that fact and because of that, I became a better person.  Their actions helped to refine me in order that I could become who I am today.

I owe them my thanks.

Although it has not always been easy, there is one thing I have tried to do each day as I taught the children in my classroom.  If times got a little rough on say, oh let's say days before vacation or the Halloween party or any other time when things get exciting, I have tried to remember this one thing. 

Once there was a little girl named Peggy Ann Scott.
So very long ago now, she was one of them too.

I'm going to be giving plenty of second chances this week, in fact probably a couple of them today.  Those second chances will be offered in the spirit that says I know better work could have been given.  I hope I will be the recipient of some second chances as well, wherever it is that my life takes me this school year or in any of the years to follow.

How about you?  Can the same be said of your life's experiences?  Has anyone ever given you a second chance? Dear friends, be mindful of it this day.  Wait and watch for those times when you yourself are the recipient of one.  Maybe you will have the wonderful opportunity to give someone you know another chance to do better.  

You won't regret it if you do.
You might regret it if you don't.

                                                                then

                                                                    now

                 You just never know where those second chances are going to come from.