Advent Devotionals for Youth

Be It Done to Me—A Devotional for Advent

Luke 1:  28, 38   “Gabriel went to her and said, ‘Greetings you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you!’. . . ‘I am the Lord’s servant,’ Mary answered.  ‘May it be to me as You have said.’”

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Twice in the fairly recent past, I drove the flyover from the toll portion of Mopac to Toll Road 45 (and the opposite direction) in very thick fog.  I really couldn’t see very far in front of me, and when you’re that high, it’s quite spooky—it feels like you’re driving off into space.  But I trusted that the road was still there and that “slow and steady” would get me over the flyover.  Both times it reminded me to the faith we put in God:  that, even though we can’t see our future, we trust that the road is still there and that slow and steady will get us through.  Then, I got to thinking about Mary and Joseph and the fear they must have felt—as teenagers, engaged to be married, then Mary turns up pregnant, Joseph knows the baby isn’t his. . . it’s the recipe for possible disaster, but, even though they can’t see the future, they trust in God, and move forward with His plan.  They were even joyful. 

The “annunciation” to Mary that she would be the Christ-bearer was accompanied by an assurance of grace and an encouragement to not be afraid.  These contrasting words from Gabriel foreshadowed the journey of joy and the path of pain that were ahead for this “favored one.”

The joy led to the great joy that we see in Mary’s Magnificat, “My soul magnifies the Lord. . . my spirit rejoices. . . for the Mighty One has done great things for me.”  (Luke 1:  46-49).  Mary, through her adolescent eyes, glimpsed the glory that was to be birthed through her—Jesus, who would save his people from their sins.

The “fear not” gave Mary fair warning of the insults, difficulties, poverty and pain that would surround the birth of Jesus.  Mary saw clearly the sacrifices that were ahead for her as an unwed mother.

Mary’s “be it done to me” revealed a heart of surrender to both the joy and the pain of being the Christ-bearer.

When we read that Christ is being formed in believers and that He is in us we discover that what happened to Mary physically happens to the believer spiritually.

Ponder these things in your heart:  What great things has the Mighty God done for you?  What joys do you experience because you are a Christ-bearer—having Christ in you?  What sacrifices or hardships have you faced because you are a Christ-bearer?

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Prayer:
Dear God, this advent let us say, with Mary, “Be it done to me according to your word,” knowing that being a Christ-bearer might involve pain in addition to joy.  May Jesus be born anew in us this Advent.  Bless [the church] Youth as we work and grow together in Your love, doing work for Your people, trusting that the road will be there.  Amen.  

~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~

Relinquish the Wheel—A Devotional for Advent

In John 11, Christ speaks to Martha and asks her a question:
“I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies, and whoever lives and believes in me will never die.”

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            There’s a company that makes T-shirts with spiritual themes. One of them shows an airplane being flown by a frantic pilot. The shirt says “If God is your co-pilot, switch seats.”  That’s a statement that’s simple, but sort of sums up our struggle. We often talk about how faith is hard. But I believe a certain amount of faith is really not difficult at all. It’s easy: just like this: “God, you keep an eye on the horizon and the dials and gauges while I fly the plane. But You be ready in case a storm comes up or we lose an engine or the wing falls off, because then I’m gonna need You to save the day. Of course, when we have blue skies, I’ll just take over again.”
            That’s not hard. J What’s hard is to relinquish the wheel. At the Annunciation, Mary gives us the blueprint for a different kind of faith – the hard kind.  I’m sure Mary may have had many ideas and expectations about what her life would be like. We all do. We knew she was expecting to marry Joseph. And then this angel shows up with a message from God that lays out a whole different plan for her future.  To say that this was going to complicate her life is putting it lightly. While Scripture talked a lot about the coming of the Messiah, it didn’t include instructions for being the Messiah’s Mom.
            Mary is the ultimate example of a life yielded to God’s purpose. Mary puts God in the driver’s seat. But it’s one thing to see that kind of faith in a Biblical figure who lived 2,000 years ago. It’s another thing to live out that faith today, and walk in submission to God.  How do we do it? The answer begins in Mary’s story, which begins an act of grace that has the power to transform our lives. We need to remember that Jesus didn’t come just to accept the shepherds’ worship or the wise men’s gifts. We need to see the cross as well as the manger.
            In John 11, Christ sums up the issue as he speaks to Martha and asks her a question:
“I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies, and whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?”
            We all want to surrender our lives, to “let go and let God,” to turn over the wheel. It is in answering Christ’s question that we find the confidence to do this. Some folks resist this question; there are any number of reasons why. But no one yet has made an effective argument that eternal life is a bad idea.
            To really let go of something, you need to grab hold of something else. And to help us let go of the worries of our world, God has given us the ultimate “something else.”
            There are times when we wonder whether we matter to God, whether he really knows who we are, or cares. God responds to our doubt and our feelings of inadequacy by saying this: “Come live with Me at My house. I have prepared a place for you! It’s a great house, too. And I’m not talking about a two-week lease – it’s forever! And, not only that, you can invite all your friends, too!”
            “I am the resurrection and the life. . . Do you believe this?”  Believe it. Switch seats. Follow Mary’s example, and make God the pilot of your life. Let go of the wheel, and grab hold of Christmas with all your strength.

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Prayer:  Heavenly Father, thank you for the gift of your only Son and the gift of your grace.  Help us to follow Mary and let YOU lead our lives.  I am confident that we will be pleased by the sights we’ll see when you’re in the pilot’s seat.  In your Son’s name we pray.  Amen.

Controlling Our Emotions, Saving Our Relationships & Being Impeccable with Our Words

Proverbs 16:24 “Gracious words are a honeycomb,
sweet to the soul and healing to the bones.”

When Anngela, JonDee, Lori, Suzy, and I were in Kansas City for the MOPS International Conference, we heard Lysa TerKeuerst’s talk about different types of communication barriers and how to work through them.  Our “code” to each other became “PAUSE.”  That doesn’t necessarily mean that we are all exploders who blame others who need to add pause before we react (although that is the case for some of use in some relationships); it is simply a reminder to us to think about our reactions before we respond. We could just as easily, I suppose, quote Ephesians 4:29: “Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.”  But we’ve simply taken to saying, “PAUSE.”  I, like Lysa, can be each of the 4 types of responders, depending on the relationship and the situation, so “PAUSE” is a good reminder to me.  And, I, like Lysa, want to improve my responses and my relationships. 

Just as God tends to do, when you’re ready to work on something, He gives you plenty of opportunities to do so.  I decided to take Lysa’s “Unglued Challenge”—a 5-day challenge in which she asks you to focus on better responses to people / events / situations that might normally frustrate you or even cause you to lose control.  Well, during my 5-day challenge, I thought my biggest struggle would be the recent frustration I had been experiencing with Elliot and math (where I tend to explode—and blame him for not keeping up and then shame myself later, for exploding and for not making him keep up—so, both kinds of exploder).  God, however, decided to give me multiple chances to follow Lysa’s plans in my life.  There was a major work situation with my boss, more than one problem at church, and a nasty email from a friend all to give me a chance to practice how I would either add a pause, add perspective, let go of pretending, or let go of proving.  In each situation, before I replied, I was blessed to be able to have some quiet time with God, which gave me time and perspective before I responded. I responded honestly and fairly, from a God-place; and, in most of my situations, the responses were well-received, I was understood, and the relationships were well-maintained.  In one case, however, my response was misunderstood-- even after trying to explain myself multiple times. But after consulting with several spiritual mentors and even Lysa TerKeurst herself, sometimes, if you’re misunderstood by the same person over and over, it could be the receiver’s issues, not yours.  We are all, after all, only human beings.  What I learned from Lysa’s challenge and my time in prayer is that pausing helps.  A lot. 

And kindness counts.  Kindness Counts. That was the title of this week’s “The Fridge Door”—the MOPS International email that comes to our inbox.  Two articles in the e-zine were about kindness.  One of the articles was written by Mikkee Hall, a MOPS Membership Strategist.  In her article about bullying, she says, “In my own little circle I am starting a revolution of kindness.  To see another person with their weaknesses and foibles and not exploit them, but appreciate them.  When the chance to gossip or say an unkind word comes along, I will swallow the words instead of putting them out there.  You are invited into the circle. Let’s change the world – one kind act at a time.” It brought to mind Proverbs 15:4 which reads, “⁴ The soothing tongue is a tree of life, but a perverse tongue crushes the spirit.” Another one of the articles was written by Liz Sagaser, a mom of two, and she wrote:  “Kindness is an attribute I want to instill in my children, and no matter what I tell them to say or do amongst their family, friends and schoolmates, how I model this behavior is what really counts.” 

Lysa’s challenge and these articles got me to thinking about the people I know, the people with whom I surround myself and the people who are role models for my children (besides myself).  I have one friend, in particular, who leaves me amazed every time I spend time with this person.  This person never speaks negatively about anything or anyone.  Ever.  Not even when I start--this person doesn’t pick up where I’ve left off with a “vent” or with any negativity, this person either changes the subject, turns my negative comments into positive comments, or ignores me.  I’m in awe.  And I’m inspired.  This person lives truly by James 4:11-12: “¹¹ Brothers and sisters, do not slander one another. Anyone who speaks against a brother or sister^[a]or judges them speaks against the law and judges it. When you judge the law, you are not keeping it, but sitting in judgment on it. ¹² There is only one Lawgiver and Judge, the one who is able to save and destroy. But you—who are you to judge your neighbor?” James also puts our religion to the test in James 1:26 when he says, “²⁶ Those who consider themselves religious and yet do not keep a tight rein on their tongues deceive themselves, and their religion is worthless.”

Even the ancient Toltecs believe strongly that if you don’t use your word for truth and love then you are being dishonorable.  Some of you know that have I attended several Native American Purification Ceremonies (more commonly known as a “sweat”).  At my most recent sweat, the shaman introduced me to The Four Agreements, a book written by Don Miguel Ruiz, based on ancient Toltec Wisdom.  In his book he presents four agreements—agreements one must make with him/herself to reach a deeper sense of happiness and love.  I listened to the whole book on tape the night of that sweat, and was deeply moved.  I am committing, today, to continue to make significant progress in keeping these agreements.  And, I’ll start with the first, which is:  Be impeccable with your word.  What does it mean to be impeccable with your word?  Speak with integrity.  Say only what you mean.  Avoid using the word to speak against yourself or to gossip about others.  Use the power of your word in the direction of truth and love.  I Peter 3:10-11 “For those who desire life & desire to see good days, then let them keep their tongues from evil & their lips from speaking deceit; turn from evil & do good; seek & pursue peace.”

Here are a couple of nuggets for thought as, perhaps, you try to be more impeccable with your word:

1.       Realize the power of your word.  Your word is the power that you have to create; it is a gift that comes directly from God.

2.      Create a beautiful dream.  Your word can create the most beautiful dream, or your word can destroy everything around you.  Impeccability of the word only creates beauty, love, and Heaven on Earth.

I have a challenge for you.  Be like my friend.  If you hear gossip, don’t participate.  Better yet, leave the conversation.  Even better, turn the negative comments into positive comments.  Better still, tell your friends you’re not going to participate in the gossip, and you’d like for them to stop as well.  Speak only positive words—to yourself, about yourself, about others, and about the world around you.  Even if you have to send a negative message, do it with a positive spin.  I encourage the teachers with whom I work to speak to their students only with positive words:  instead of “Don’t run,” “Please walk,” instead of “Don’t talk while I’m talking,” “I have the floor right now, and in a moment, I will let you share your comments.”  It makes a world of difference.  Give it a try.  Speak with integrity.  Seek to know the truth.  Express your love.  Pause before you respond.  Then be impeccable with your word. 

Prayer:  Heavenly Father, we know that your desire is for us to speak and be love.  Help us to be impeccable with our word—not to tear down but rather to build up.  We know that you tell us in Proverbs 18:21 that words kill or they give life; that they’re either poison or fruit; and that we must choose. Let us choose in such a way that we are an example to others so that they might be in awe and inspired by our commitment to speaking with integrity.  When others say something or do something to us that causes us to want to react in a negative manner, Lord, help us to pause.  Help us to wait a moment before we react so we can react in a calm, peaceful, loving manner with the proper perspective and without a need to pretend or prove.  As followers of Christ, we ask for your help in seeking and pursuing peace.  In His name we pray, Amen.

Alznheimer's Symposium: Making Some Changes In My Life

Two weeks ago, it became wildly apparent to me that I needed some Alzheimer's Support.  My first resource was alz.org, where I found not only a list of local support groups, but I also found information about  an all-day Alzheimer's Symposium in Temple, TX on April 30.  I immediately registered and then attended that symposium.  It was a great day, filled with a lot of information and access to a lot of resources.  For me, the best presenter was Dr. Dewayne Nash.  He's an MD who has been diagnosed with Amnestic MCI (Mild Cognitive Impairment), a precursor to Alzheimer's Disease, whose mother and brother have Alzheimer's Disease.  His perspective as a doctor, a family member, and a patient was fascinating. 

I asked a question about early testing and ended up being quoted in the Temple Telegram.  You can read that article here:  http://www.tdtnews.com/news/article_25efcf74-b21a-11e2-98c3-001a4bcf6878.html

I learned a lot from Dr. Nash, and I will be making some changes in my life, with the hopes of delaying or not-getting-at-all a diagnosis of Alzheimer's Disease.  My mom has it, and her dad had it before her, so if I have the apoe4 genes, there won't be much I can do to not get the diagnosis.  But I can do some things to help myself:  keep my hypertension under control, watch my cholesterol and my weight, eat the Mediterranean diet, keep my mind active, and be happy.  Some of those things are easier than others.  I come by the hypertension "naturally" (both my mother and grandfather have/had it, and it is/was controlled only by the highest doses of medication), but I can try to reduce some of the stress in my life that lend to my high blood pressure.  Once I have recovered from my hand surgeries, I can get back in the pool and swim swim swim.  I do a pretty good job of keeping my mind active with teaching and reading.  The Mediterranean diet is going to be harder--I hate fish and I love sweets.  But I'm going to really give it "the old college try" when I get back from Ireland (so, I'll start at the beginning of June).  And, I'm working really hard on the "being happy" part, too. I've also put myself on the Alzheimer's Association's list for studies--to be in studies as a young, not-yet-diagnosed person so I can get lots of tests to use as baselines and to follow as I age. 

Additionally, I started following Dr. Nash's story at his blog, organicgreendoctor.com where he chronicles how he's dealing with the disease, how he's "living life to the fullest", and how he advocates for research and a cure, etc.  It's a very informative and interesting resource.

In my quest for support, I also found the "Memory People" Facebook page where caregivers and a few patients share their stories.  It has been a huge help--there is a lot of emotional support, but also a lot of information.

So. . . I will continue to be an Alzheimer's Advocate, but I am also making some serious changes in my own life.  I don't know how I'm going to get rid of my sweet tooth and start liking fish, but I have to do it for my children!

Why We REALLY Teach

Why We Really Teach

I was once nominated for a university-wide teaching award, and part of the portfolio I was required to create included my “Philosophy of Teaching.” You all write your philosophies at the beginning of your education program, and you probably revise them during your career. My philosophy currently reads:

Philosophy of Teaching

I have several philosophies that guide the way I teach. By modeling these beliefs as I teach my students in the teacher preparation program, they will understand their importance and transfer these values to their own future teaching practices.

Evident in my teaching are the following beliefs:

 

*Life-Long Learning

I believe that teachers need to instill in their students the importance of life-long learning by reading and staying current in their profession, and by modeling that learning for learning’s sake is fun.

 

*Teacher as Facilitator

I believe that teachers must be facilitators (rather than directors) of their students’ learning--guiding their students to become independent and self-directed learners.

 

*Providing Feedback

I believe that teachers are obliged to provide prompt and detailed feedback to students’ work—praising their successes and offering constructive criticism for their weaknesses.

 

*Mastery Learning

I believe that teachers must ensure that their students have truly learned the information by assessing them, and, if students were unsuccessful, by reteaching and reassessing until their students have met the course objectives.

 

*Collaboration/Cooperative Groups

I believe that teachers need to provide opportunities for students to work in cooperative groups, emphasizing the notion of pride in one’s “team” as they work toward the same goal.

 

*Higher Level Thinking Skills

I believe that teachers ought to require students to work at the upper end of Bloom’s Taxonomy (analyzing, synthesizing, and evaluating).

 

*Integrating Technology

I believe that teachers must have a repertoire of technology-based teaching strategies and require their students to integrate technology into their work and assignments.

 

*Practical Application of Theory

I believe that teachers need to base their instruction on theory, but provide practical applications of that theory for their students to comprehend the relevance of the information.

 

*Reflective Thinking and Action

I believe that teachers must continually and persistently seek to fine-tune and improve their teaching.

 

After rereading that document, though, I realize that I speak to the pedagogy and the practice of teaching, but I don’t speak to the heart of teaching. Before I taught at the university, I taught elementary school. I taught third grade for four years, and I taught fifth grade for two years. It was during that time that I realized that the real reasons we teach are many. This is why we really teach.

 

We teach for Ryan, who, after I tutored him after school to prepare for what was then the TAAS test, wrote me a letter saying he appreciated my support, saying, “I love it when a good teacher believes in me because it helps me believe in myself.” He passed the TAAS test, but I think he learned much more than just academics in those tutoring sessions.

 

We teach for Jeff, who practically vowed to despise classical music, but he participated cooperatively in my unit on classical composers. Jeff was a big, burly football playing third grader who was almost my size. A few weeks later, he came in to class humming Vivaldi’s “Spring,” [hum a few bars]. When I looked at him with raised eyebrows, he said, “What? I LIKE it!”

 

We teach for Brenda, who confided in me. She asked me to come to the bathroom with her one day. Once there, she lifted her shirt to reveal bruises that engulfed every inch of her back and arms--brutally beaten into her by her mother who that morning had threatened to kill her. I called the authorities, who took the call very seriously, and they removed from her home that very afternoon and took her to the Round Rock Baptist Home where she could be safe.

 

We teach for Jerald, an avid deer hunter, who learned in sex education that AIDS is transmitted by blood. He panicked and asked, “Can you get AIDS from a deer? Because if you can, then Oh My God, I’ve got AIDS.” I was able to give him the reassurance that he was healthy and probably AIDS-free.

 

We teach for Rachel who wrote a letter to next year’s fifth graders, right before she began sixth grade, to tell them that they’re going to have the best school year of their entire life, and that they will learn a lot and that they can trust their teacher with any secret that they may need to share, and that if you get in trouble it’s because you deserve it because Ms. Pate is “firm but fair.”

 

We teach for Emily, who after a unit about the Holocaust, summarized the most important thing she learned from her studies by saying, “I learned to not let injustice continue; and next year, in middle school, if I see something that’s not right or not fair, I will tell a teacher—even if it does make another kid or kids mad at me. We can’t sit idly by and let bad things continue.”

We teach for Stacey, who could often reteach a lesson to Jerald (remember the deer hunter, Jerald?) and who probably taught more of the curriculum to Jerald than I did. Quite frequently, after I taught a lesson and explained everything, Jerald would raise his hand and say, “Ms. Pate, I don’t get it.”I would reteach in a new and different way, but quite frequently, Jerald still didn’t “get it.” For awhile, Stacey would ask me if it I’d like for her to explain it to Jerald. I said, “Sure.” And, every time, Jerald got it. Eventually, after I would unsuccessfully reteach something to Jerald, Stacey would just give me that knowing look and take care of it. I moved to fifth grade after that school year, and two years later, Stacey and Jerald were both in my class again. On the first day of school, Stacey said, “Ms. Pate, do you want me to sit next to Jerald this year?” I said, “Absolutely!!!”

 

We teach for Hunter, who daily said, “Thank you for teaching me so much new stuff, Ms. Pate.” He also had a crush on me. I didn’t encourage the crush, but I must admit, it’s nice to have someone admire you so much!

 

We teach for Greg, who had a question about abortion. The question didn’t come out of the blue. It was an election year, and we were learning about the candidates and their platforms. One day Carly asked, “I know it’s an overgeneralization, but is it right that Republicans are pro-life and Democrats are pro-choice?” I told her that it was, indeed, an overgeneralization, but that basically, that was correct. Greg said, “What’s abortion?” Lauren immediately began to give a back-alley definition which I managed to squelch before it got too gory. I proceeded to delicately answer Greg’s question as scientifically yet as vaguely as I could and then said, “Anything else you want to know, you’ll have to ask your parents,” to which he replied, “Why would I ask my parents anything? I ask you questions every day and you answer them every day and I never ask my parents. This isn’t any different.” I did inform the principal of my impromptu lesson that day. She supported me, and we never heard from any parents. Later that week, I spoke to Greg’s mom about the incident. Greg hadn’t brought it up at home, and she was perfectly satisfied with my answer.

 

We teach for Colin and Jack, two extremely bright boys who tended to act out a bit. When they accidentally broke a lamp in my classroom tossing pillows back and forth while I was working with another student, I told them to choose their own punishment (because I was at my wits’ end with them—this was not their first somewhat rambunctious incident). I told them they had the rest of the week to decide what their punishment would be, and they should just inform me then.The next day at lunch, they asked me to stay in the cafeteria for a few minutes. They had arranged for the music teacher to set up the microphone and speakers in the cafeteria. In the middle of fifth grade lunch, Colin and Jack got on the microphone, asked for everyone’s attention and publicly apologized to me for breaking my lamp, and for their misbehavior in general, and they promised it wouldn’t happen again.” On top of that, they fixed the lamp.

 

We teach for Brandon, whose only safe place was school because he was abused and neglected at home. I told him a story about a time when I was a child that someone had hurt me, and he began to trust a few adults. Even though he was academically behind and rarely mastered new skills, he got what he needed the most, and that was love.

 

We teach for Alexandria who was willing to use her double black belt in Tae Kwon Do to “take care of” Nathan. Nathan had broken my jaw by crashing into me as he ran from one side of the room to the other. Alexandria confided in me that she had taken a vow at the beginning of her Tae Kwon Do instruction to never use it except in self-defense, but she went on to inform me that “I could kill him if I needed to.” I told her I appreciated it, but it wasn’t necessary. It’s not a coincidence that my daughter bears the same name as this bright, caring, and tough young lady.

 

We teach for Boone who was so smart and so bright, he did not want to get “stuck” helping the other kids. He did not want to be the gifted kid who helped the other children who worked more slowly than he or who didn’t get it at all. He said, “I got it already, why can’t I do something else.” So that’s exactly what he got to do!

 

We teach for Kristin who did not succumb to peer pressure or allow her mother to succumb to the parental peer pressure and buy me a “fancy” Christmas gift. I taught in a district where some of the folks were rather wealthy, and some of the parents (and kids) tried to outdo each other in their teacher appreciation gifts. But rather than give in to that pressure, Kristin handmade a crude sculpture of a bird from clay. It is a treasured possession to this day.

 

We teach for Brian and Randy and Carly and Heather and Colin and Jack (remember Colin and Jack who had broken my lamp) and countless others who, once they had moved on to sixth grade, came back to the elementary school Open House with their parents and their younger siblings just so they could say hi and tell you about their sixth grade accomplishments.

 

We teach for Rachel who had the confidence in herself to actually send off for a patent. She had created a beach towel carrying device that allows you to safely carry your towel while riding your bike. She asked me if she should do it. I told her to go for it. I even helped her fill out forms and mail them. She didn’t receive the patent, but she had the courage to follow through with her desire. Now there’s a life lesson.

 

We teach for Carlita, who mentioned her third grade teacher in her salutatorian speech at high school graduation. Carlita moved to our school in third grade in February. She was the first African-American student that I think our school had ever seen. When she arrived, we were studying Rosa Parks. I worried that there might be issues. Here we were studying African Americas who stood up for their rights, but my students had never seen first-hand the reality of the injustice that many African Americans face. I went on teaching about Rosa Parks, and during that unit and for the rest of the school year, the students learned a lot from Carlita. And she learned a lot from them, too. It was a very harmonious school year.And third grade made an impression on Carlita—she said so in her speech nine years later.

 

We teach for Charlotte, who was just a gem and came up with notable quips all the time like, when explaining how to summarize, she just said, “Put it on a bumper sticker—that’s what my daddy tells me to do all the time.” The student and Iand she knew that she was a bit long-winded, so the bumper sticker comment was perfect—but it stuck with my students, and every time they had to summarize, they said, “Put it on a bumper sticker.” I have every confidence that this world will definitely see Charlotte again in some type of powerful leadership role. Look for her, perhaps, as this country’s first woman President.

 

We teach for Kristin who stopped my husband in the airport.She had been watching us (me, mostly) stress over getting two babies’ diapers changed and prepared to board a day’s worth of plane trips for a two-week trip to Maine. As I took yet another trip to the bathroom, she approached my husband and asked him if I was Ms. Pate. He said that I had been Ms. Pate at one time (then he told her I had a different last name and a different title now). She told him that I had been her third grade teacher and that she was headed to college in the fall. I returned from the bathroom and Tim said, “Do you know this girl?” I said, “She looks familiar.” She said, “I’m Kristin. You were my third grade teacher, and I loved you!”

 

Teaching is THE BEST career on the face of the earth. You often hear about how the children are our future. And they are. But it’s teachers who lead them there. And that’s why we really teach.

Bullying in Schools/Following the Golden Rule

I watched the Ellen DeGeneres show yesterday, and one of her guests was Sirdeaner Walker, the mother of Carl Walker who committed suicide last week as a direct result of being a bullying victim at school. One of Ellen's recommendations was that there would be a class on compassion--every day, starting in kindergarten. 

As a teacher, I can tell you that I do teach compassion. Daily. But it's not a class in and of itself. It's just part of my day. I talk about it and I model it. But not all teachers do that. Many teachers have fallen into the trap of thinking they can't teach morals because it's too much like religion. Compassion, though, while it is an anchor in many religions should also be an anchor in life. Many of the "morals" are life morals and should be taught for basic citizenry: compassion, responsibility, patriotism, respect (of self, others, property), honesty. . . the list can go on. . .

While the amount of curriculum each teacher has to teach is overwhelming, the teaching cannot stop there. Teachers need to teach their students how to be people, how to get along with others, how to be contributing citizens, and how to BE NICE. The Golden Rule is so basic--treat others the way you want to be treated--yet it's not being taught (or followed) by all teachers. If you don't like being made fun of, don't make fun of others. If you don't like being yelled at, don't yell at others, if you don't like being excluded from activities, don't exclude others. If you don't like being talked about behind your back, don't talk about others behind their backs. If you don't like being called names, don't call others names. If you don't like people telling lies about you, don't tell lies about others. 

It is the responsibility of teachers, administrators, AND parents (you have to contact the school and INSIST that they act) to stop bullying. 

Memorial contributions for Carl Walker-Hoover may be sent to: 
Carl J. Walker Trust Fund 
c/o Hampden Bank
19 Harrison Avenue 
Springfield, MA 01103