SUBSCRIBE FOR ONLY $16.99!

Mrs. Kramer’s 1970s Childhood Challenge

Advertisement

Originally published in TEACH Magazine, March/April 2021 Issue

By Kristina Kramer

After 30 years of teaching and 14 years of being a parent, it wasn’t the books, the courses, or the counseling that would so clearly encapsulate the purpose of my job as an educator and a mom. It would be a 30-second video clip of a 10-year-old boy on a bike that would pierce my heart and show me what is really important in this world.

It was May of 2020, and I was scrolling through my emails after a long day of Zoom and Google Classroom. My eyes were getting bleary, so I took off my Telluride ballcap (brought out especially for our “wear a hat to Zoom class” day) and popped on my blue light glasses before checking one last email, from the parent of a student that I was a bit worried about.

The email contained a video of Jake, who was new to my school that year. Jake struggles with anxiety and goes to therapy for food aversion. And now, Jake stays home while his dad works on the front lines during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The video showed Jake attempting to ride a bicycle for the first time. It was a spring morning and the birds were chirping in the background, along with the sounds of the chimes on the front porch where Jake’s mom was filming from. I held my breath as Jake shakily took off down the driveway and wobbled slowly onto the road, then I let out a sigh of relief as he kept peddling. His blue jacket flew behind him like Superman’s cape, while his mom whispered encouragement the entire time. When Jake finally stopped and turned to look into the camera, he was beaming from ear to ear.

In that moment, Jake wasn’t the kid with anxiety or the kid with tactile issues. He was just Jake, a boy on a bicycle.

Subscribe to Keep Reading

🔑 You’re one step away from unlocking premium content.
Subscribe now for just $15.99/year and get full access!
If you’re already subscribed, please .

Kristina Kramer has been teaching grades 1–8 for 31 years. She has a Master’s degree in literacy and is also an adjunct professor at Wheeling University in Wheeling, WV. She leads professional development workshops in the areas of reading and writing. In her free time, she explores the great outdoors through biking, hiking, traveling, and gardening. She currently lives in Wheeling with her husband and son.

Education News

Planting the Seeds: 10 Tips to Inspire a Love of Reading in K–2

Teaching young children to read is one of the most powerful gifts we can give them. However, sparking a love of reading is what keeps that gift growing for a lifetime.

Cradles to Crayons® to Provide 250,000 Free Backpacks with School Supplies

C2C’s “Ready for Learning” initiative prepares children from head to toe, including clothing and backpacks in the Massachusetts, Chicagoland, and Philadelphia Tri-State regions.

Supporting New Pathways Into the Classroom

Flexible online certification programs are helping aspiring educators teach, lead, and make a difference.

PPC Members Inspire the Next Generation Through 2025 TICCIT Program

This year, the Paperboard Packaging Council reached over 7,500 students and planted more than 8,000 saplings across North America.

Join Our Newsletter

Get 10% off a subscription, monthly giveaways, and the latest updates—straight to your inbox!

Kristina Kramer
Kristina Kramer
Kristina Kramer has been teaching grades 1–8 for 31 years. She has a Master’s degree in literacy and is also an adjunct professor at Wheeling University in Wheeling, WV. She leads professional development workshops in the areas of reading and writing. In her free time, she explores the great outdoors through biking, hiking, traveling, and gardening. She currently lives in Wheeling with her husband and son.

Advertisement

Read More

The First Six Weeks: Laying the Foundation for a Successful Middle School Year

The first six weeks of a new school year are essential. In middle school classrooms, those weeks are not just a warm-up. Rather, they are the foundation on which the entire school year is built.

Planting the Seeds: 10 Tips to Inspire a Love of Reading in K–2

Teaching young children to read is one of the most powerful gifts we can give them. However, sparking a love of reading is what keeps that gift growing for a lifetime.

Breathe, Focus, and Learn: 3 Simple Exercises That Prepare Students for Academic Success

When practiced regularly, breathing techniques can become powerful self-regulation tools that serve students throughout their academic lives and beyond.

Cradles to Crayons® to Provide 250,000 Free Backpacks with School Supplies

C2C’s “Ready for Learning” initiative prepares children from head to toe, including clothing and backpacks in the Massachusetts, Chicagoland, and Philadelphia Tri-State regions.

Supporting New Pathways Into the Classroom

Flexible online certification programs are helping aspiring educators teach, lead, and make a difference.

Stories from the Stage: How Drama Education Shapes Global Citizens

Drama is far more than a performance-based art. It is a dynamic educational tool that improves students’ capacity to understand perspectives far removed from their own.
hang 2 duc | soi keo barca | casino barriere toulouse | nằm mơ thấy máu | casino raiders 2 | red flag fleet slot | forest slot | fifa han | tasmania casino | truyen ngon tinh hay | vòng loại world cup 2022 khu vực bắc mỹ | crown casino da nang | zodiac casino einloggen | dien dan so xo mobi | 8 slot toaster | slotted | hanoi casino poker | uk casino | golden goddess free slot machine | cuclacnet | jenis permainan slot | gren | god of wealth slot | your name zing tv | ddr2 dimm slots | đb | 52choigame | bet69 bet169 online | khuyến mãi casino | starlight longan | game bài casino | mơ thấy cứt | bar 7 casino | ảnh căn cước công dân | vòng quay kim cương free fire | casino website | dự đoán xổ số miền bắc ngày mai | seneca resort and casino niagara falls ny | 7890 | wild vegas casino review | boku casino sites | stepper motor arduino | nowgoal tieng viet | code gunny mobi haiduong pro | slotted or unslotted waste | hoiana casino | load letter paper in manual feed slot |