“Oh Natasha, I wanted to show you this book before I leave!” says Donna, the grade 3/4 teacher at Willowdale Christian School. I’ve worked in her class for several months and have become a witness to her passion for literature. She uses it as a powerful teaching device. Already, I’ve been introduced to several intriguing and life changing books.
I turn towards her. She holds Red, written by Michael Hall, in her hands. The books colourful, masterful illustrations leap from the front cover. She hands it to me. I flip through the pages. It pulls me into its storyline. A red crayon stands out. He learns differently. He doesn’t fit into the mould teachers and parents set in place. Everyone’s worried. Until one day a friend helps him discover he’s not actually red. He’s been told he’s red his whole life. But when he starts moving, exploring, discovering, it’s the colour blue that he reveals. He finds his place in the world, colouring blue all over the place. Parents and teachers revel. They claim to have known he was blue all along.
I slowly, tentatively, thoughtfully, shut the book. I glance up at Donna. Tears fill her eyes. “There are so many kids who are so extraordinarily gifted, Natasha. And they don’t know it because they can’t fit the mould and expectation the world sets for them. They need an opportunity to find their gifts,” Donna says. She speaks earnestly and with strength. I nod in agreement. We discuss the book for several minutes before I head out the door.
I amble toward the subway. I think about Donna’s words and the book I just read. I think about the teachers at Willowdale Christian School. The passion they convey for knowing each child personally and recognizing every child as a unique gift of God. The commitment each has to guide every child emotionally, spiritually, socially, and academically.
My time working at WCS has revealed to me that this school is a haven, a place where the spirit of God resides and is actively at work. The teachers are committed Christians and teaching professionals. The expertise and care they offer is a rare gift. In a world that can prove to be harsh and unforgiving, WCS has become a safe place for children to face struggles and find their extraordinary, God given gifts.
Our hope at WCS is that every child will graduate, knowing more than the Ontario Curriculum has set in place. We pray each child will hold a strong identity as a student, and more importantly, as a child of God