A rooster’s main trait is being PRECISE. I try to be as detail-oriented as possible in at least getting to know students and staff members alike. I’m not confident in too many things, but I know a simple “act of service” for others can make their day.
It can be as simple as a small little piece of paper, in this case a card. This is my 5th year in the AUHSD, and my 5th year creating Pokemon cards for all my students. I also opted to make some for the few staff members at Kennedy that have been welcoming, as well as many at Dale Junior High whom I deem significant in my educational journey.
And though it remains to be seen where my journey goes next, I know this annual tradition of Pokemon cards will remain consistent each year. For just 30 seconds I spend on creation of each card, I can build a connection with a student based on what I already know about them. Some funny cards in the past include their special ability being “late to class”, “flirting with others”, or being “annoying”. But also recognizing the more invisible students and identifying them as “chill”, “kind”, “loyal”, or “good sense of humor” helps to raise their confidence at least partially.
In the end students are prideful enough in the cards to place them behind their phones for them to look at every single day for at least the remainder of the school year, and who knows how long after.
