I forget sometimes how disorganized learning can be for middle school kids. When I teach I tend to offer more help than seems necessary for some kids. With all the educational plans for individual kids and accommodations that need to be made, I forget that learning is a messy business.
Some confusion for kids is unavoidable. A backpack that looks like an implosion of five text books is normal. Perhaps some peanut butter and jelly caked to the edge of a homework assignment is okay.
Looks like I need to loosen up a bit and let kids be messy…at least sometimes.