cairns

I met with a set of parents today making sure everything was on track for their son.  I knew I was going to get contacts after putting the children’s standardized test scores into the online grade book for the appropriate subjects.  Some called, most emailed, this family emailed and took the time to come and sit down in person.

Then they thanked me for taking time to see them.  Their most valuable relationship and deepest responsibility, second only to the one with God, their son was the topic.  They cared enough to both come, sit down, and talk about exactly how he is doing and what they can do to help him be his very best.  And they thanked me.  By the way, and it shouldn’t be surprising, their son is already a fine young man with great promise.

I still miss my little kids from the low income areas of town, the mean little guys who get kicked out of school, the children with un-empowered parents.  But, it is such an honor and delight to work with families that truly care, that stay in touch, and who support me when I am working to stretch their children in knowledge, work habits, and wisdom.  There is a gnawing place inside me that says my other little friends need me more.  It just can’t stop me from loving working with this beautiful group of kids and families.

And, I continue to learn that the Phi Delta Kappa’s study of risk in children was too true in too many areas.  Risk and pain in the midst of our culture of pleasure and consumption are pervasive in the lives of children.  Any child can show up in pain.  Every school has kids in deep need.  I was there after school one day this week to talk down a little guy working himself into hysterics after misbehaving and getting caught in daycare.  I was there today when a young man from across the hall who had spent the end of the day sitting in the office was left sitting in the hall while his parent talked to his teacher at length making sure everything was fair.  And, one of mine from last year, a girl who I literally picture living on the edge of life’s cliff, a student who worked hard all last year with me to raise her academic and behavioral levels, a kid who has been suspended this year for going to get her other homework (without arranging permission to leave the room), met me on the way out of the building today.  She brought me one of her school pictures.

If everything a person could get a thank you for was as wonderful as helping kids grow up, there would be a lot more thank-yous in the world.

Heading off to bed to rest up and teach teachers tomorrow with a prayer of thanks for those who remember to say thank-you, a prayer of support and strength for those who continue to serve in places without enough thank-yous, and gratitude to a God beyond comprehension who keeps changing my life plans and setting me in places where the feast is prepared, bountiful, and multiplied by sharing.

peace

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H1N1 is taking several kids a day out of the school, although all 28 showed up for the fourth grade excursion to Vincennes in the cold rain yesterday. Only one absent today. They really behaved and paid attention well. Almost all of them are getting straight “A” report cards tomorrow, which I have made them earn. The hardest thing is getting them to engage material that actually requires them to think about information and apply it beyond what they can do instantly. They want to either give a quick meaningless answer, or give up and ask to just be told what to write.

We are getting there. But, it is exhausting. Took them through a discussion today which I hope helped them see that the real problem is not lack of intellect, or willingness to work, but fear of failure. Have three fourths of a year left to convince them to open their minds and see what amazing things travel in and out!

Everyday is an adventure. But right now I feel like I just came down Quandary and need a stop at the gatoraid store!

peace

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Years ago the teachers at Christa McAuliffe and I worked for about two years to create a mission statement that truly said who we were and what we did.  What we were inspired to choose after many too complicated efforts was, “Christa McAuliffe is a safe place for every member to learn and grow.”  We used “member” instead of “student” partially as one of many efforts to be less like what the kids had previously experienced as schooling, and partially to indicate that it included the adults as well as the young people.  The Superintendent who sent us there, understood…mostly.  The one after him did not understand anything we did.  He is the one who allowed the program to be dismantled, and caused me to choose life back in the classroom.

The new Superintendent is a person of intelligence, vision, and action.  My daughter’s high school was in bad shape.  Her health was in bad shape partially from the psychologically toxic environment there.  Our family was in bad shape because the poison came home.  This summer the new Superintendent replaced the leadership of the high school with people who reversed the trends there in the very first day of student attendance.  What did the principal tell them?  “This is no longer a dangerous place or a jail.  This is a place dedicated to knowledge and growth.”

I still cannot say it any better.  If I ever get the chance to create another space that is Truly safe for people to continue to learn and to grow, maybe I will call it a school.  Or just maybe, I will call it a church.

peace

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I was walking them to the bus after our last day of grade five. I was talking to little D, plenty of brains, reputation of a doofus, pampered by mom, irritation artist extraordinary. But, I had found him out. When he writes for real, he can out communicate any gifted kid in the building. When he focuses, he is capable of seeing beyond what the average kid his age sees. So, I was talking with him on the last trip to the bus. I was encouraging him to let the middle school see his intelligence, to find his identity in his given talents. He turned to me in all sincerity as he got on the bus, held up his report card and said, “This report, all four grading periods, is the best I have ever taken home in my life. My mom is going to be thrilled with THIS!”

Enjoy the moment D. Enjoy the summer. You earned it.

peace

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I was in church this morning and the pastor was explaining to the congregation why he was not at all sure he supported a return to prayer in public school considering the politically correct non-specific kind of prayer that would be taught.  He quoted the ACLU as saying they might support, “a neutral moment of silent reflection.”  He followed with, “I do not even know what that is.”

I know what it is because Indiana school’s have it.  First we watch the morning announcements, then recite the Pledge, then a well meaning and enthusiastic staff member in charge of such media things speaks in what must be to her a reverent or spiritual voice (maybe its just her quiet voice) about the scene will view today during the moment of silence.  Her comments are usually longer than the moment of silence.  Usually the scene is some nature picture viewed through a slightly wobbly handheld camera.

But, several days lately the voice has declared that today we will be viewing Stonehenge.  Why Stonehenge?  They would never show a cathedral or a manger, a menorah, or a Buddha.  But we are viewing Stonehenge! 

And I am offended.  Not because I think anyone is trying to glorify druidism or the like, but because we are standing there celebrating mindless attention to nothing!  She is putting up Stonehenge because of some uninformed assumption that it represents some feeling of something or other kinda sorta spiritual and old.  And the kids stand and try not to fidget or talk during the ten or less seconds that the quiet lasts… Then we are back to ‘don’t cheetah yourself outta an education by missing school’ and ‘give somebody the gift of a smile.’

Have a nice day indeed –as long as you are comfortable in our brain dead fuzzy warm spiritual sorta kinda touchy feely world of believe whatever you want as long as you don’t express it to me while the environment gives off warning after warning that we are on the edge of eliminating life as we know it — then enjoy your neutral moment of silence and smile, smile, smile.

peace

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