Emotion trumps learning

When I was in elementary school, I loved to learn. I was willing to read aloud, write on the board, and do whatever the teacher asked me to do. However, one time in class when I read aloud, I was made fun of by other students. This turned me off to the idea of volunteering at all. Because I was emotionally upset, I didn't care to learn. Student's emotions may seem to an adult to be small things, but to the students, they are very real. Acknowledging that students emote, and helping them through their problems will emphasize that things in school are important, including the learning.