Donna’s fourth grade classroom looked typically traditional. Yet something seemed different that day when I entered it for the first time.

         My job was to make classroom visits and encourage implementing a training program focusing on language arts, ideas that would empower students to feel good about themselves and take charge of their lives. Donna was one of the volunteer teachers in this project.

         I sat in the back and watched. All the students were working on the task, filling their notebook paper with thoughts and ideas. A student next to me was filling her page with“ I can’t kick the soccer ball.” I can’t do long division with more than three numerals.’’ Her page was half full and she showed no signs of letting up. I walked down the row glancing at students’ papers. Everyone was writing down things they couldn’t do.

        By this time the activity engaged my curiosity. I decided to check with the teacher to see what was going on but I noticed she too was busy writing “ I can’t get John’s mother to come for a teacher conference.” “I can’t get my daughter to put gas in the car.” “I can’t…”

        Curious and puzzled about what they were doing, I returned to my seat and continued my observations.

       Students wrote for another ten minutes. They were then instructed to fold the papers in half

and bring them to the front. They placed their “I Can’t” statements into all empty shoe boxes. Then Donna added hers. She put the lid on the box, tucked it under her arm and headed out the door and down the hall.

      Students followed her. I followed the students. Half way down the hall way, Donna entered the custodian’s room, came out with a shovel, and marched the students out to the farthest corner of the playground. There they began to dig. They were going to bury their “ I Can’ts ”!

      The digging took over then minutes with dirt.The box of “I Can’ts” was placed at the bottom of the hole and then quickly covered with dirt. Students stood around the freshly dug grave. At this point Donna announced, “Boys and girls, please join hands and bow your heads.”They quickly formed a circle around the grave.

      They lowered their heads and waited. Donna delivered the eulogy.

      “Friends,we gathered here today to honor the memory of ‘I Can’t’. While he was with us on earth, he touched the lives of everyone. some more than others. We have provided ‘I can’t with a final resting place and a headstone that contains his epitaph. He is survived by his brothers and sisters, ‘I can’, ‘I will’,and ‘I’m going to’. They are not as well known as their famous relative and are certainly not as strong and powerful. Perhaps some day,with your help, they will make an even bigger mark on the world. May ‘I can’t rest in peace and may everyone present pick up their lives and move forward in his absence. A men.”