Opening Doors with the Wednesday Walk

This morning, the focus of our Wednesday Walk was gratitude.  What are we grateful for?  How can be specific with our thankfulness?
As we walked, students penciled their ideas into Writer's Notebook's and appreciated their warm coats and heated school building as the chilly breeze reminded us that winter is drawing near.  But there was an amazing moment as we rounded the last corner almost back to the school doors.  An Instructional Assistant (paraprofessional), who was accompanying a student on our walk, stopped me and said, "Look at this!  These are all his ideas!" as she pointed to the full page.  This is a child with very specific needs and is not a typical student, he hasn't ever filled a page with ideas.  We both had tears in our eyes, amazed and humbled by this student's ability to grow beyond our expectations.
This is why we walk.  We walk to open the doors to imagination.  We walk to open the doors to possibilities.  We walk to break down the barriers and discover hidden potential.