Undeniable, Soul-stirring Desire

Teaching, like parenting, comes at a high price. 

And like parenting if we were to, before we entered into the profession, calculate the toll it would take on us, surely we would decide the “cost” was too great. But I believe that in raising our own children, as well as in helping to raise someone else’s during the 180 days in which they’ve been entrusted to us, the cost is little compared to the gain.

There is some kind of unexplainable, inexplicable force that draws me back day after day, year after year.  

There is some kind of undeniable, soul-stirring desire, a deep-down yearning to make the world a better place.  I don’t know another way to do that than to spend every day with children, to influence and shape our future mothers and fathers and presidents and pastors…our future leaders.

There is some kind of innocent hope, some kind of pure joy that is wrought from days spent with students who make discoveries, who look at the world through fresh eyes, and who feel, speak, and act in truth.

When the world becomes dim, as it inevitably will, the only way I know to keep the light shining is to keep piercing the darkness, to go back Monday and do it again, to keep creating new light.

New light and new hope.

Legacy: Part 2

In “Legacy: Part 1”, I described the kinds of legacies that I believe we leave (and live) in our everydays - in raising kids, going about life, and in interacting with others.  Now I want to ponder the legacies we leave in our field, as educators and as colleagues. 

Whether we mean to or not, we ARE leaving a legacy; what will it be?

Speaking from my own experience as a student, there were teachers and other school personnel who made me feel smart, feel valued, like I mattered, like they thought I had something to say – to contribute. 

Some others made me feel small, stupid, invisible.  Why is that?  …and how can I ensure that the legacy I’m leaving is one of valuing every student?

In the classroom, in the building, you ARE leaving a legacy…
And you ARE creating that legacy at this very moment…
What will it be?

Is it a legacy of spoon-feeding?
A legacy of low expectations?
A legacy of belittlement?
A legacy of taking?
Of poor attitude?
Of settling for little, for the status-quo?
Of drama?
Of blame?
Of victimization?

…OR…

Will you leave a legacy of positive thinking?
A legacy of self-worth?
A legacy of belief in every student?  That every student can learn?  That “everyone’s good at something, but no one’s good at everything”, so that each child pursues his remarkable gifts and realizes that we all struggle with something and in that struggle he’s not alone?

Will you leave a legacy of giving?
A legacy of responsibility?
A legacy of respect and compassion?
A legacy of making your mark?
Of  peace?
Of  inclusion?

Of listening…really listening?

Of life-long learning?

Of excellence?

Of rigor?

Of curriculum relevance?

Of continual improvement and academic growth?
Of humor?
Of joy?

Of fun?

Will you leave a legacy of leadership?

Will you teach your students that their dreams matter?  That their goals matter?  That THEY matter?

Will you show your students, through your daily actions and words, that you love them unconditionally, that they’re amazing, and that they have a purpose in life, something spectacular to do?

Will you convey to your students what it means to do a job every day with a thirst that can’t be quenched to make a difference?

Will you model for them what it’s like to do work with a passion that burns deep inside of you?

Will you empower students to believe that they, no matter who they are or where they come from, have the capacity to do anything they set their minds to?

Once the legacy is laid down, it will be woven into generation after generation. What will your legacy as an educator say about you 100 years from now?

You are worthy of a legacy as big and as wonderful as God’s love is for you.

And your children - all children - deserve nothing less.

Teacher Tips: 8 Ways to Survive an Administrator Observation

1. Wear something that makes you feel fabulous.  Ladies, that may mean some fierce shoes or your favorite animal print skirt.  Guys, that may mean your Chicago Cubs boxers.  Do whatever it takes to get that "I teach! What’s your superpower?" feeling!

2. Straighten up & organize your classroom.  Peaceful surroundings translate to a peaceful state of mind.  Just be sure to make a list of where you stashed all of your piles of crap so you can find them later.

3. Buy Pepto Bismol chewable tablets at least a week ahead.  The stomach-churning factor requires proactivity.  Oh, and be careful about what you eat for breakfast.  Leaving the classroom and running to the bathroom during the middle of a lesson is frowned upon in this establishment!

4. Go to bed early the night before...unless, of course, you come up with a MUCH better lesson at 11:00pm.  Then, by all means, stay up as long as it takes. It may require eye pads and ice water to get rid of the bags under your eyes in the morning, but it’ll be so worth it.

5. On this, of all days, don’t hit the snooze bar 6 times like you normally do.

6. Prayer is always good.

7. If things start to head south, immediately enlist your greatest distractor to go start asking the administrator questions.  Of course, you’ll need to pre-assign the job of “Distractor” and have a silent signal for “GO!”, but trust me; it’s a highly sought-after position!

8. Try to relax and enjoy it…at least someone’s there to watch the magic that happens under your watch every day.

Legacy: part 1

I have often seen signs that say (or heard people verbally say): “Leave a legacy.”

But I truly believe that you ARE leaving a legacy whether you mean to be or not.

From Merriam-Webster: 
1 : a gift by will especially of money or other personal property : bequest 
2 : something transmitted by or received from an ancestor or predecessor or from the past

The term is used so often in referring to leaving something (object or philosophy) good to someone after you die. But I've come to realize that you are establishing what your legacy will be over the course of your lifetime. It may be one you're proud of, and it may be one you’ll regret.

I am very introverted, the type who likes to be a wallflower and just stand back and do a lot of observing. In my observing I have noticed particular families or groups of people that seem prone to things going wrong, drama, glitch after glitch in life, sickness, sadness, expecting the worst. Why is it that some people seem to have a long family history of “we will persevere”, while others follow the long-taught mantra, “life stinks”?

It has caused me to stop and ponder: What legacy am I leaving? 7 generations from now what will my descendants be like, and what will be said that I passed down through those generations?

My Grandfather Clyde left a legacy of a strong work-ethic, unshakable faith, right priorities (God first, family next, everything else after that), using your talents, service to God and country. I will never forget those lessons he taught me and, because they have shaped who I am, they now live on in my children.

You ARE leaving a legacy…
And you ARE creating that legacy at this very moment…
What will it be?

Is it a legacy of fear and doubt?
A legacy of poverty?
A legacy of depression?
A legacy of complacency?
A legacy of self-loathing?
Of settling for mediocrity?
Of negativity?
Of divisiveness?
Of drama?
Of blame?
Of victimization?

…OR…

Will you leave a legacy of positive thinking?
A legacy of taking action?
A legacy of knowing that God has created you for a specific purpose that only you can fulfill?
A legacy of gratitude?
A legacy of responsibility?
A legacy of self-worth, caring, concern?
A legacy of making a difference?
Of peace, pulling up your boot-straps, making the best of it?
Of inclusion?
Of continual improvement?
Of humor?
Of joy?
Of caring more than is practical?
Of brave, bold, courageous service for the Kingdom instead of playing it safe?

Will you teach your child that he’s not good enough and that dreams aren’t for people like him?

Or will you teach your child (and his children to come) that the dream in his heart was placed there by God and that NO dream is too big?
Will you teach him to honor God by achieving and living out that dream? Are YOU honoring God by achieving and living out the dreams that He has etched upon your heart?

Once the legacy is laid down, it will be woven into generation after generation. What will your legacy say about you 100 years from now?
If it isn’t what you want it to be, it isn’t too late to make the changes you need to make.

You are worthy of a legacy as big and as wonderful as God’s love is for you.

And your children - all children - deserve nothing less.