You are standing at the class door, this is your first day at school, inside the door is your first class with Mr. Richard
I nervously stand in the doorway of my first class at my new school. I see my teacher he is a tall muscular handsome man. He is very strict and very dominant.
Mr. Richard, notices the cute little boy standing by the door. "Hello there" he says in his deep voice as he walks over to him, "I am Mr.Richard, your history teacher for today." he says with a smile on his face. He reaches out and gently pats Connor's head. "Why don't you come in and take a seat at one of the desks?" he asks kindly.
O-ok s-sir I stammer scaredly my voice quivering
Mr.Richard nods understanding, noticing how shy and nervous Connor is. He leads him to an empty desk at the front of the classroom, thinking it would be best for him to see everything clearly and also be closer to him if he needs any help or has questions. "Why don't you sit here," he suggests, helping Connor get settled into his chair.
The rest of the students are already seated at their desks, quietly waiting for class to begin. Mr.
Richard takes attendance and then begins his lesson on ancient Greece. He uses a projector to show images of important landmarks, leaders, and events from that time period. Connor finds the subject interesting and tries to pay close attention to everything Mr. Richard is saying, taking notes when necessary.
As the class progresses, Mr.Richard occasionally glances over at Connor to make sure he's understanding the material. He notices how well-behaved and attentive the boy is being and feels a sense of pride in him.
As I’m paying attention I notice the other students whispering about me. They talk about how small and skinny I am.
Mr.Richard takes note of Connor's discomfort but decides not to intervene just yet, as it is part of growing up and learning to fit in with others. He continues teaching the class, occasionally giving everyone a break by sharing a joke or anecdote. At the end of the lesson, he distributes worksheets for students to complete as homework.
"Alright class, that's all for today," Mr.Richard announces, "
"Connor, I hope you found the lesson interesting. Remember to hand in your worksheet when we meet again tomorrow." He pats Connor on the head reassuringly before dismissing the rest of the class. Once everyone has left, he approaches Connor and kneels down so that they are eye-to-eye. "You handled yourself very well today," he says with a smile, "I'm proud of you."
Connor blushes slightly at the praise but remains shy and quiet. Mr.
Richard knows that it will take some time for Connor to feel completely comfortable around him and the other students, so he decides to give him a little more attention during today's after-school football practice.
"Connor," Mr. Richard says gently, "would you like to come with me to football practice? I think it would be good for you to meet some of the other students and get involved in something fun."
I look up at him nervously. I nod nervously but I have a scared look in my face
Mr. Richard understands Connor's hesitation, but he also knows how important it is for him to make friends and feel like he belongs somewhere. "Don't worry," he reassures the boy with a warm smile, "I'll be right there with you every step of the way. And who knows? You might even discover that you enjoy football."
He extends his hand out to Connor, offering him a friendly handshake.
I nervously look at his big strong hand it’s very intimidating. I slowly reach out my small weak hand to his
Mr. Richard grins as he clasps Connor's tiny hand in his own, feeling the contrast between their sizes. "Alright then," he says cheerfully, standing up and helping Connor to his feet, "let's go join the others." With a reassuring squeeze on Connor's shoulder, he leads the way out of the classroom and over to the football field for practice.
When we get on the field I see all the other players they are all stronger and bigger than me. When they see me they all give me weird looks and whisper to each other about me.
Mr. Richard notices Connor's discomfort but doesn't let it show. Instead, he focuses on helping him feel more at ease by engaging him in conversation and explaining the basics of football as they warm up together. "Don't worry about what they think," he tells him confidently. "You don't need to be big or strong to play football. It's all about skill, strategy, and teamwork."
I look up at him nervously. O-ok s-sir I stammer nervously still feeling unsure about myself
"See?" Mr. Richard says encouragingly as they begin to practice some drills. "You're doing great! And don't forget, I'm right here with you." He continues to guide and support Connor throughout the rest of practice, making sure he understands each drill before moving on to the next one.
As I practice the other player laugh when I make mistakes and make fun of me to each other.
Mr. Richard hears the other players laughing and glances over at them briefly, his expression darkening for a moment. "Hey," he says firmly, "we're here to have fun and learn, okay? So let's focus on that." He turns back to Connor with a reassuring smile. "You keep doing your best, and don't worry about what anyone else thinks."
O-ok s-sir I stammer nervously. During a no contact scrimmage one of the players tackle me hard when they weren’t supposed. The other player laugh when the see me get hit. I lay on the field in pain. I try to get up but I keep stumbling and falling back onto the ground.
"That's enough for today," Mr. Richard declares, quickly walking over to where Connor lies on the ground. He kneels down beside him, concern written all over his face. "Are you okay?" he asks gently, placing a hand on Connor's shoulder to steady him. "Can you stand up?"
I-I’m ok s-sir I stammer wincing in pain I try to get up on my own but I fall again. The other players giggle to themselves seeing me struggling
Mr. Richard's expression darkens at the sound of their laughter. "Alright," he says firmly, glaring at the other students, "that's enough." He turns back to Connor, offering him a hand up. "Here, let me help you." Once Connor is on his feet again, Mr. Richard wraps an arm around his shoulders, supporting him.
"Come on," he says reassuringly, "let's get you cleaned up and head back inside."
I limp with my arm around mr Richard’s shoulder into the coaches office
Once they're in the privacy of his office, Mr. Richard helps Connor sit down on a bench and begins assessing the injury. It's just a bruise, but it hurts quite a bit. He pulls out some ice from the freezer to help with the swelling.
"Listen," he says, kneeling in front of Connor so that they are eye-to-eye, "I know that was rough out there, and I'm sorry that those guys were being jerks.
I look up at him wincing in pain. I-it’s not your fault s-sir. I-I guess they don’t like me I say with a frown.
Mr. Richard shakes his head, "No, it's not you they don't like," he corrects gently. "It's just that sometimes people get jealous or feel threatened by someone who's different than them... and right now, you are definitely different." He pauses for a moment before continuing, "But I want you to know that I think you're great just the way you are, and so do most of the other people here. You don't have to change a thing about yourself to fit in."