I teach in a very rough neighborhood where the kids are some of the most vulnerable (and thus extremely defensive) students I have ever had. My school has the students “graduate” in 6th grade and move onto a school with 7th-12th graders in one building. This does NOT help that self-preservation mechanism they have– to help yourself at any cost (even if it will hurt others). I have been asked to teach the 6th graders a song for their “graduation”, and I have been searching for months. Every “usual” song I found made me feel like it was just another thing they had to learn that wouldn’t help them. Then I found your song Fearless, and right there in the middle of Barnes & Noble I started weeping because it says everything I want them to remember. Thank you so much. You are helping students you will never meet, but I am thanking you for– what I believe will be– the lasting impression this song will leave on their lives.
