Impacting the Lives of Children

Dedicated to two friends who are retiring from the field of education this month.

I wonder –

How quickly does time go by? Sometimes does it seem like you just started on this journey of working with students? Or does it seem like you’ve done this “school stuff” for a long time. After all, there have been quite a few changes that have taken place in the field of education since you began your career.

Consider:

• You started out using chalkboards, eventually moved to whiteboards, and now we have document cameras and projectors in the classroom.
• When you began your teaching career, you used workbooks or typed worksheets on dittos with a typewriter, and got purple ink all over your hands while making copies on the ditto machine. Do you ever miss that? Or do you appreciate the professional-looking computer-printed activity sheets you can make now?
• In the 70s, you utilized filmstrips and movie projectors as a way to share information with your students. Now you can use video clips, record the students, and make your own videos. (No more tangled movie reels!)
• The primary means for finding information back then was going to the library and looking it up in an encyclopedia. Now, finding answers to questions is quick and easy with online discovery and “google.”
• Communicating with parents has turned to email rather than the evening phone call or note sent home.
• Instead of decorating the classroom/hall displays with homemade pictures enlarged and traced with an opaque projector, now we’re able to purchase things online or make “cutesy” things with the aid of pinterest.
• Although we still have fire drills, we’ve moved from the “Duck and Cover” drills of the 70s to lockdown drills – and occasionally a real lockdown.
• And, possibly the biggest change, instead of using only paper and pencils, we now use the ipad for creating and practice as well.

After all, you’ve experienced a number of changing trends in the past almost-40 years:

• phonics – look say – whole language – balanced literacy – zoo phonics
• traditional math – new math – math their way – new new math – investigations – back to traditional math … ?
• month-long integrated themes, compartmentalized subjects
• workshop way - centers – daily five
• lesson objectives – outcomes-based - learning targets & standards based
• whole group – small groups – flexible groups – individual instruction

But, although there have been a lot of changes in the field of education; there are some things that have stayed the same in these many years.

• meetings – grade level, building, district, curriculum. etc.
• making lesson plans
• standardized tests (names may change, but tests remain)

And, most important –

The love you each have for kids. Showing them you care, praying with them, meeting their needs (academic, emotional, and spiritual), and sharing the love of God with them. This has never changed. From different grades and courses taught, states lived in (California, Iowa, Florida, Pennsylvania, and Michigan), and even different clothes/hair styles through the years (I wish I had pictures!) – you have each lived out God’s calling in your lives to teach and share God’s love with students. Through all the changes in education that have come and that will come in the future, this remains a worthy goal in Christian education:

            to nurture the hearts of children,

                                                to equip their minds

                                                                 and show them how to transform the world

                                                                                                                          for Jesus Christ!

From one educator to another - Thanks for your work and thanks for loving kids. I wish both of you God’s continued blessings.

The Mouse in my House

There’s a mouse in my house. Oh, what will I do?

There’s a mouse in my house. Has this ever happened to you?

It was really a mouse peeking in my living room;

dark brown and furry – he looked quite well-groomed.

But it was such a surprise when I turned to see

a very real mouse looking straight at me!

Now he left the room and went down the hall.

I’ll just ignore him and stay on the couch, after all.

Oh no, he came back – and scurried all around,

at least he’s still scurrying down on the ground!

Ignoring him won’t work; I’ll quick take a shower instead.

“This is not the way my morning should start,” I said as I fled.

I dressed in a hurry and took a peek out the door.

I couldn’t see mousie anywhere on the floor.

But just as I crossed the kitchen to leave

the mouse ran under the stove; yes – I shrieked!

I went through the day with my kids at school

with mouse thoughts constantly invading my thought-pool.

I bought several traps after asking advice,

the man at the hardware store said the old-fashioned ones worked nice.

Four traps all set, peanut butter the bait,

Now all I have to do is just wait.

I went out for supper, prayed the mouse would be caught,

but when I came back, nothing was in the traps I had bought.

I sat for a while, wondering where he might be,

then decided to spend the night elsewhere, so he wouldn’t find me!

The next day showed evidence my mouse friend was clever,

The seeds near the trap were gone, but no traps had been touched whatsoever.

I bought more remedies, including poison, for this endeaver;

anything to get this mouse out of my house forever.

This time the seeds were put on the trap,

nestled in peanut butter, underneath the flap.

As night approached I cautiously went to bed

with dreams of “dead-mouse” filling my head.

The next morning I awoke and went to see

the traps I had set, what would there be?

As I stood in the kitchen I was filled with relief

at the sight of the mouse, dead beyond belief!

But I also felt a little sorry for him,

whose life had ended so tragically grim.

After saying goodbye and disposing of the mouse,

I can thankfully say: There’s no longer a mouse in my house!