Gemotions

The moment she saw Ms. Ramirez’s name on the list, Maria had to sit down. Her hands had started to tremble. Ms. Ramirez, with her booming laugh and incredibly high expectations, was now assigned to her son, Mateo, for fifth grade.

She thought of the countless times she'd been called up to the chalkboard, the burning flush of shame when she didn’t know the answer. The classroom felt like a theater of anxiety. She felt a familiar knot forming in her stomach.

She spent the next week talking to Mateo, gently encouraging him to speak up if he needed help, to not be afraid to fail. She promised him she'd be there for him, no matter what.