Since summer in Sumner County began this morning I found myself contemplating my childhood summers. The swim team, the pool, the soccer field, the friends, the barbecues, and the traveling came to mind. However, yesterday as I polled my students about their summer vacation plans many of them had the same answer- I don't know. I quickly realized that many kids today don't look forward to the same simple pleasures I was afforded summer after summer. In fact, some students don't look forward to summer break at all.
As the final bell rang yesterday, a student was hanging out in the library. This student has lived for the library this year. Before school and after school he has been seen just hanging out in the library. No, he isn't really a reader, so to speak, but he is a student whose home life was drastically changed in the past two years with the loss of his brother.
This student was hanging around the library as some of the other students rushed by him eager to start their summer break, because he knew that yesterday was the librarian's last day at our school. Unfortunately, this young man has not only lost his brother, but his favorite librarian and "safe place" were changing with the librarians retirement. My heart ached for him.
So as my summer days rush by as they often do, I hope that I am reminded that there are students somewhere, of all ages, shapes and walks of life, that are eager for school to start back in order to be welcomed back to the "safe place" in their life.
Thank you to the teachers I had after the summer of 1997 who welcomed me back to school after the loss of my mom.
Showing posts with label students. Show all posts
Showing posts with label students. Show all posts
Thursday, May 24, 2012
Sunday, June 26, 2011
Values
In class yesterday we began discussing educational values. We went from talking about the individual concepts that we, as individuals, desire in education to the overarching themes instilled within the souls of students enrolled in teacher courses at local universities. It really made me think. Have all of the teacher education courses I've endured valued the same thing in education?
Overall, the three universities I have attended, although very different, have held one core value. They have shown future educators and administrators to not loose sight of the most important thing in education- the students. If they were trying to instill within me a different value, it may not have stuck due to my real life experiences. Whether they were nihilist, theist, or any other belief, it rarely affected me in my education.
Unfortunately, there are only a few classes that have any sort of lasting affect on me during my education coursework. These classes are the ones that dealt with diversity, a concept I see negated all too often in our public schools. I have also been inspired by the fellow students in my classes. I'm in awe of the variety of people I encounter, and yet, we all agree that education needs to be altered.
No matter what the concepts are that I value in education, I will always place the students in the center of my actions.
Overall, the three universities I have attended, although very different, have held one core value. They have shown future educators and administrators to not loose sight of the most important thing in education- the students. If they were trying to instill within me a different value, it may not have stuck due to my real life experiences. Whether they were nihilist, theist, or any other belief, it rarely affected me in my education.
Unfortunately, there are only a few classes that have any sort of lasting affect on me during my education coursework. These classes are the ones that dealt with diversity, a concept I see negated all too often in our public schools. I have also been inspired by the fellow students in my classes. I'm in awe of the variety of people I encounter, and yet, we all agree that education needs to be altered.
No matter what the concepts are that I value in education, I will always place the students in the center of my actions.
Tuesday, November 30, 2010
Then vs. Now
In the 1980s teachers were never sensitive to the fact that there were students in their classrooms that did not believe in certain holidays. In a school of around six hundred students only one or two students might be sent to the office to help, while the rest of the school enjoyed singing Christmas songs in their central gathering place. Unfortunately with the economy the way it is currently teachers are having to not only be aware of students that do not celebrate holidays, but they are also reminded that their students may not enjoy the holidays because they will not be receiving anything this year. It is sad to note this, but many teachers are faced with whether or not to share their joy for this time of the year with their students. Is it right to act like a hum-bug because students may not share in your joy? There are a lot of students that don't care for my Auburn football team, but that doesn't stop me from wearing the team jersey I own, or singing their praises. I don't do this because I live, eat, and breath Auburn football, but I do this because I know in my heart that it might actually entice a student to go on to college if they see the love I have for my alma mater.
As a Christian, who knows that it is wrong to indoctrinate students while at school, I feel like I should be encouraged to share my joy for this time of year with the students, but unfortunately something is holding me back. When will sharing diversity with our students once again be okay?
As a Christian, who knows that it is wrong to indoctrinate students while at school, I feel like I should be encouraged to share my joy for this time of year with the students, but unfortunately something is holding me back. When will sharing diversity with our students once again be okay?
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