Glennon Doyle Melton recently had a conversation with her son’s teacher and she was so moved and compelled – she had to share with the world.

Glennon Doyle Melton writes the popular blog momastery.com and is the author of the #1 New York Times Bestseller Selection Love Warrior: A Memoir. So, she clearly has a way with words. And the story she recently shared is absolutely powerful.

Earlier this year, she went into her son Chase’s tutoring class. She had sent her son’s teacher an email the previous evening.

“‘Chase keeps telling me that this stuff you’re sending home is math—but I’m not sure I believe him. Help, please.’ She e-mailed right back and said, ‘No problem! I can tutor Chase after school anytime.’ And I said, ‘No, not him. Me. He gets it. Help me,'” she wrote.

Glennon showed up to the classroom and was soon receiving a lesson from the teacher on the “new way we touch long division.”

Glennon said she didn’t have an issue learning this “new way” of math because she never really understood the “old” way anyway! So, she was basically starting from scratch.

“It took me a solid hour to complete one problem, but I could tell that Chase’s teacher liked me anyway. She used to work with NASA, so obviously we have a whole lot in common,” she jokes.

After Glennon received her math tutoring lesson, she and the teacher sat down and talked – mostly about all the hopes and dreams they had for the children.

The two chatted about hoping they can “shape the hearts” of these children to become wonderful, stand-up citizens of the world. And then…that’s when the teacher divulged something to Glennon that completely wowed her.

The teacher explained that every single Friday, she asks her students to write down four names on a piece of paper. They would pick four names of children that they’d like to sit next to the following week. However, the kids know that the teacher may not always honor the requests.

In addition to picking seatmates, she also asks the students to nominate one student who they thought was an exceptional classroom citizen that week.

All of the “ballots” are then submitted to the teacher privately and she then takes them home after the school day, lays them out in front of her, and tries to look for or notice and patterns.

Are there any children that aren’t being requested?

Are there any children that are having a hard time requesting anyone?

Is there a certain child that is never nominated?

Was there a student that had lots of requests last week but none this week?

The entire point of the exercise isn’t really looking for new weekly seating chart ideas – she’s actually looking for lonely children.

“She’s looking for children who are struggling to connect with other children. She’s identifying the little ones who are falling through the cracks of the class’s social life. She is discovering whose gifts are going unnoticed by their peers. And she’s pinning down—right away—who’s being bullied and who is doing the bullying,” Glennon shared.

This genius way of connecting with her students is also a great way to deter any bullying. The teacher said that she knows most bullying happens out of her ear and eyeshot and many kids are too scared or intimidated to reach out for help. But these private little sheets of paper help her keep an eye out for any issues.

Glennon asked Chase’s teacher how long she’s been using this method – “Ever since Columbine,” she replied.

The incredible teacher helplessly watched the events of Columbine unfold and knew that so much outward violence stems and begins from inward loneliness. She wanted to do something to help.

“What Chase’s teacher is doing when she sits in her empty classroom studying those lists written with shaky 11-year-old hands is saving lives. I am convinced of it,” Glennon says.

It’s simply amazing that this math teacher spends her time looking for patterns in loneliness and love, stepping in when she needs to. Simply beautiful.

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Source: RD