I really appreciate my friend for challenging my thinking, as you will come to read below. I am providing her challenge to my thinking and perspective along with my response to her. This welcome challenge was issued to my last blog post regarding What is Worthwhile Knowing: A Teacher’s Perspective. I would readily open any …
When he was a little boy, he was never called gifted. He never went to formal school. He was a Down’s baby. Not a baby or child with Down Syndrome, among other distinguishing characteristics. Not a child with exceptionalities. Not a person with special abilities. No. He wasn’t all that. He was mostly a label. …
I have written a lot about teaching and what’s important, but I would be remiss to not emphasize the reason I feel so strongly about creating a caring ethic within the classroom and school. And for me, that reason is very personal. And I certainly do not apply this reason as a blanket explanation for …
I am seeking to make my own journey in education one that is characterized by love. By empathy and kindness. By an overriding influence of Care. In order to have a Curriculum of Love as the guiding light within our classrooms, we must acknowledge that we are part of a vast connection of interconnections- even …
It’s almost recess and I am urging the children to put away their snacks so as to ready for the recess bell. The students start slowly stowing their lunch boxes inside their backpacks and heading for the door. All except for one, that is. The same One who, day after day, has persisted in waiting …
You know those kinds of days. Another long day in a stream of long days. More issues to deal with, more meetings to be had. More testing to be done, more papers to be sent home. Just more of everything. And coming on the end of the school day, sometimes all you want to do …
Authenticity. It is a remarkable characteristic. And when that authenticity is combined with humility and grace, the possibility for greatness is within reach. And what of greatness? Is it defined by how high the reach or how far the circle of influence? How much one is lauded? And how often? Often, the student becomes the …
To teach with heart- formidable task as that might be with the outcomes and core curricular goals driving our attention. But teaching with heart is the one, sure way through; it is the one way forward and the only way out for some of our students. Halted as they might be by circumstances, events, issues …
I saw you there today- so happy. Having fun with your friends. Being yourself. I admit, I was busy going over all of my kids’ routines- so I didn’t get to watch every single part about your practice. I didn’t get to see all your moves and tumbles. Cartwheels and handstands. Didn’t get to watch …
Monday weekend news in the kindergarten classroom. I am listening to stories about everyone’s weekend and I get to the last little rascal and I ask him, “What happened to you that was exciting this weekend?” And he proceeds to tell me (with the saddest, most downcast face a darling boy could muster) that his …
This was me last night at supper. Or rather. This was me SANE last night at supper (politely asking for a pat of the yellow stuff, since I had been so kind to make the meal): “Could someone pass the butter, please?” Din of voices. Outright, blatant ignoring of the Mother Lode. General mayhem. And …
There is a problem with the church today- a problem that runs deep and wide and long. It’s created a chasm actually and an exodus. It’s a problem sourced by a history of church practices and traditions that serve to verify its authenticity as real and overt. It’s a problem all right. And that problem …
