All kids are different. They’re meant to be different because we are human and that’s the way it works. But, oh my word, I wish they were more like James (don’t worry, that’s not his real name).

So, there are some kids who will literally tell you to f*** off at any given opportunity – and then there are kids like James.

James is only eleven, but I’ve always thought he has an old soul. He stops by my desk after the lesson to talk about the books he’s read and when he answers questions he speaks in a quiet and measured way, unlike his peers who are desperately waving their arms around and shouting out their thoughts over each other.

James is the kind of person I’d like to sit and have my lunch with and chat about his thoughts on current affairs – but teachers aren’t really supposed to do that so I won’t.

Today, we were reading a book out loud and James was reading his part when he just stopped very suddenly and very awkwardly. The girl next to him whispered ‘you’re allowed to say that because it’s written in the book’.

I looked down and noticed that the next line was ‘you lying bitch’ and he is such a nice kid that he was really uncomfortable saying hit. I gave him a smile and a nod and he said the words, but my heart melted.

When some kids are so rude that they can bring me to tears, how can we also have kids as pleasant as James?

#bemorejames

Much Love

Rachel xx