sigh

SO the kid i got in exchange was one from the beginning of the year -

he reminds me of a kid you may have heard me talk about - wayne, who's in 2nd grade, from m-fuge/n. philly. like, he is built like him, talks like him, has a bright smile like him, has anger management problems like him ...

he *is* wayne in 4 years if no one good gets to wayne first. he even did a back flip in my classroom today. just like wayne.

he looked up at me this morning when they brought him to my room and said, 'ms matthews i'm baaaack' with this wide grin. his mom said he hasn't stopped talking about wanting to get back in my class since they switched him.

it is SO hard to see him each time i do - and now every day. i feel like my heart tears every time he smiles. his hands are all wrinkly and chapped, from who knows what, and he can't read or write. could barely write numbers from 1 - 10 today. wanted me to call his mom to tell her he's being good for me. aw in that tiny little body there is so much hurt and pain and anger.

daaah. i am crying now. this could very well happen every day.