Wildly Different

Six beautiful horses live in a pasture across from my house.

Their owner lives 40 minutes away and was finding it difficult to get here, let them out, get to work 30 minutes away, and then get back here to put everyone in their stalls for the night. So, I said, “I would be happy to let them out in the morning.” My volunteering surprised her, since I was a complete stranger. It even surprised me: my only experience with a horse had been a negative one on a trail ride when I was 12.

I initially felt apprehensive and even fearful, but my feelings eventually evolved into easy comfort. Now before I get ready for the day, I head over to the field, greet my new four-legged friends, set out their breakfast hay, and make sure everyone has what they need for a good day in the field. They serve as a daily reminder, before I head to school, that fair isn’t always equal.

Lema has extreme sensitivity to UV rays, so before I let her out, I have to put her masklike sunglasses on. The miniatures think they are just like the big guys, but if I fed them the same as everyone else, it wouldn’t be good for them. And before I leave, Ollie, who stands much taller than me, follows me around like a puppy until I scratch his neck.

As much as we are tempted to treat all students the same, it just isn’t what they need. Many of my students are completely independent and successful when choosing good-fit books. Others need help to find something that interests them and will keep them engaged for more than three minutes at a time. Some of them can sit right next to a friend and get completely lost in the book they selected. Others need a bigger bubble so distractions won’t trump their stamina. Some need to confer with me every day to ensure growth, while others are perfectly fine to meet with me every three days.

No matter what we teach or whom we work with, our students come to us with wildly different needs. We can let ourselves off the hook to make everything fair. It is far better to adjust based on what they need, and it is the best way to ensure that everyone reaches their potential.

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