Category: Thinking about School

WOULD YOU RATHER?

On By mdannels3In Thinking about Love, Thinking about Relationships, Thinking about SchoolLeave a comment

IMG_20170607_143740174There is a popular game played by teachers and children these days. It’s called, “Would You Rather?” Would you rather is a goofy game that asks two questions where students have to choose between two endings… Some of those possible endings are horrible, nasty choices.

For example…  Would you rather lick a trashcan? Or lick a muddy boot? There can be less offensive questions such as, Would you rather be the funniest person alive or be the smartest person alive? And, there are experience questions such as, Would you rather be able to fly or would you rather be invisible?

So, for a couple of minutes, let’s play a game of Would You Rather?

Would you rather stay home for a few weeks? Or, would you rather share an unseen illness with someone you don’t know who has a severe health condition?

Or this one, Would you rather be inconvenienced and possibly save lives, whether the inconvenience is necessary or not? Or, would you rather see thousands die because we believed it wasn’t necessary, but really it was?

Friends, I am not here to argue the necessity of this shutdown, this Safer at Home order. I’m not here to talk about a loss of civil liberty. And, I’m not here to complain that there have been more deaths caused by illnesses or choices other than COVID 19.

Instead, I am here today to think for a few minutes about love. Usually, we talk and think about love around Valentines, but it seems to me that this is the time to actually think about, talk about, teach about, and actually practice loving one another.

I want to start by thinking about how God’s word defines love.

1 Corinthians 13:4-8a:  “4 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5 It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. 8 Love never fails.”

So many of these phrases apply to this time that we are in. This time of inconvenience, loneliness, uncertainty, and discontent are times that require us to be patient and kind. Our patience is needed as we deal with Safer at Home. We are doing a kindness to our neighbor when we stay at home, wear a mask, and practice social distancing. Our actions honor others when we follow the guidelines set out by the experts in our land. We act selflessly when we choose to stay at home and not cause others to become ill.

Did you notice that one phrase that says, it always protects? That’s what we are doing as we follow these difficult orders, we are protecting others. In fact, as we exhibit patience, show kindness, honor others by our actions, act selflessly, and protect others, we are in fact, showing them our love. Our actions are showing the love of Jesus, the love of God to our neighbors.

Galations 6:2 tells us to, “Bear on another’s burdens.” Could it be that as we stay in our homes, wear our masks, stay six feet away from each other, avoid going places…. Could it be that we are bearing the burdens of those around us?

I have a friend who has two sons. One of her boys has a disease that greatly impacts his health. They have isolated themselves in their home, on drives, or on nature trails since the beginning of this pandemic. Her concern is not what they are doing, her concern is that every time she goes out of her home to pick up groceries, to run to the pharmacy, even to pick up some thing where she is barely out of her car,  she could be exposed to something that someone doesn’t even know they are carrying – something that seems to not effect many people – but something that could cause her son to become critically ill, and perhaps, to cause her son to lose his life.

When we do what we are asked, we are helping to bear her burden and the burden that her family bears whenever they have to go out into this world. But is’s not just her and her family — there are many others whose lives we are impacting as well.

My friends, I have to tell you, I want to go to a restaurant, have someone bring me a delicious glass of flavored ice tea, some chips and salsa, and eventually – after I’ve enjoyed some quiet conversation – bring me sizzling platter of chicken fajitas. And I will do this, as soon as I am told it is safe.

This experience has shown me that one of my pass times is window shopping – not buying, but simply walking up and down the aisles of stores and looking. When my favorite stores open, I’ll be there — looking and probably spending a little bit too.

I understand that as a teacher, I love spending time with 26 small people five days a week and I miss them. I miss their stories, watching the light bulbs that come on as they have finally understood that difficult concept I’ve spent hours teaching, listening to them giggle, and asking them to be quiet for the 75th time that day. I miss THEM. Meeting with them in video conferences just isn’t the same. Sadly, I won’t be back with them in person this year — but next year, I will see most of them and I will be amazed at how they have grown and changed.

Honestly, I cannot wait for the freedom of movement that will eventually come to us.

But for right now, I have to ask myself a couple of questions…

Would I rather have my own way? Or, Would I rather help my neighbor?

 

 

 

 

Looking Inward

On By mdannels3In Thinking about Family, Thinking about God, Thinking about Relationships, Thinking about SchoolLeave a comment

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As often as I think I will sit down and write, I seldom seem to get it done.

But that’s the way it goes sometimes, isn’t it. Intentions. Good, bad, or otherwise are just intentions until they are acted upon.

And so, the question becomes, why don’t we act on them? Or more specifically, why don’t I act on them?

I’ve spent a lot of time considering this and I’ve come to realize that one of the main reasons it is hard for me to follow through on my intentions – my desires – my wishes is because I am afraid of failing. Sometimes, okay, maybe more than sometimes, it’s easier to not try than to try and then fail.

It applies to so many things…  art… weight loss… travel… testing to complete certification in specialty areas… pottery… photography… cooking… creative projects in general, and… writing.

Who would I be? What would I be doing? What could I have accomplished if I hadn’t let my fears hold me back?

Honestly, introspection isn’t my favorite thing, but I’m getting older and so, it’s time. In fact, it’s probably beyond time.

I have accomplished some things in my life. I married an amazing man – I am truly blessed that he chose me. As his wife, I’ve worked together with him to raise three sons and to grieve the loss of our fourth child. We’ve put food on the table, kissed boo boos, scolded for attitudes, and yes, yelled a few times because of behavior. We’ve attended and cheered at athletic, dramatic, and musical events. These young men are amazing, capable, and talented. They brighten the world with their abilities and charm. Two of them have married beautiful women – inside and out — who bring class to our family – along with their abilities and especially their patience.

I’ve taught school for 20 years. My former students are soldiers, Christian leaders, police officers, doctors, pilots, lawyers, caretakers, parents, teachers – and other things. They are incredible, gifted people who contribute to their world every day, simply by showing up and being who God has made them to be.

My husband and I have co-pastored in four different churches for the past 23 years. We’ve experience church growth, church stagnation, and church decline in those years. But most of all, we’ve watched and prayerfully, we’ve helped as people have drawn closer to God and as they’ve grown in their relationship with Him. We’ve been honored to marry couples, counsel people who were hurting, baptize believers, dedicate babies, and conduct funerals for people who were well-loved. We’ve served the poor when we were able. We’ve been blessed to simply be the hands and feet of Jesus. And, we’ve opened the Word of God, sharing what He wanted us to share – even when it was hard.

And I’ve been a friend to a lot of really great people — I’ve tried to be a good one.

Have I accomplished things? Yes, a few.

Still, there are more things to do – places to go – tasks to complete – skills to learn or improve — lives to touch.

I’m not writing this for anyone to say anything about what I’ve done or who I am – this is for me. It’s my time of looking inward, of self-assessing, of goal setting.

I think we all need to do this at different points in our life. I’ve watched as people get older and suddenly they have no more drive – I’m working to not let that be me.

My sisters are older than I am. (Sorry, girls.) I’ve watched them grow older – I’m in their shadow, right there, just behind them. But one thing I’ve noticed and appreciated is that both of them continue to grow and to learn and to become more.

I want to be like them when I grow up. I want to keep growing. I want to keep learning and I want to become a better person. I want to be more tomorrow than I am today. My goal is to continue to become who God is making me to be – I’m not there yet.

So, I’m going to go back to some of those skill areas I’ve always wanted to improve at but have allowed to be set on the back burner. Creativity – it’s going to be front and center. I can’t wait to see what God wants to accomplish as I give Him these interests again and see where He leads me.

It’ll be a journey – that’s for sure.

How about you? What do you need to pull out and work on again – or maybe for the first time? Let’s not give up or give in.

Let’s keep striving to become whoever God is calling us to be.

SCHOOL SUPPLIES… Just…. NO!

On By mdannels3In Thinking about Family, Thinking about School1 Comment

DISCLAIMER: Please don’t judge the blog by its title — read it all before you judge me.  WARNING: Sarcasm may have been liberally applied by the writer. Please forgive me?

As a teacher for 19 years, I may have an attitude… er… um… an opinion about school supplies. Perhaps you do too. As a mom, I had one when I was buying them. As a kid — I definitely did. In fact, let’s do a little time traveling…

Meet 3rd grade me — pixie hair cut, brown eyes with poor vision. Mrs. Sines class. 25 students sitting with school supplies stacked on their desks. There I was in the first row second seat — behind Matt A., in front of Dwain C. with my Big Chief tablet (Was there any other kind?), my first Pee Chee folder, pencils, a red cigar box-style pencil box, an eraser, pencil sharpener, small bottle of glue, and box of 24 Crayons. As I looked around the class, I realized that my Mom had been a rule follower… again. I mean, she took that school supply list literally. How could she? There I was — I think I was the only one — with my small box of Crayons while all around me, students had boxes of 48 Crayons. And some of them, the lucky ones, had the Holy Grail of Crayola Boxes — the box of 64 with the built-in sharpener. But not me; I had the 24 box. Why couldn’t my Mom have broken the rules that ONE time? Why did she have to take the school supply list so… so… literally?

Four kids. Four lists. That’s why.

While as a third grader I may have been convinced that my mother didn’t love me as much as other kids were loved because I didn’t have the giant box of crayons, I know that isn’t true — I knew it then too. Our love for our children isn’t measured by the size of the crayon box we buy them for the first day of school — nor by the amount of glitter on the spiral cover, not by the Disney character plastic coating on their pencils, and definitely not by the designer backpack.

Classrooms are shared by many children and in that shared space, personal space is greatly limited. A small desk, a narrow locker, and an even smaller “cubby”. Teachers and school districts work to keep cost down for parents purchasing school supplies. They ask for some shared supplies — usually pencils, post its, and tissues — to name a few. And, they take into account the space available for student supplies. I remember my boys loved looking at the “cool” spirals and “awesome” pencils — most of which we didn’t buy.

I must confess that as a teacher, I have a profound addiction to purchasing school supplies. I love composition books, spiral notebooks, folders, fat tip and fine tip markers, post-its, pencils, purple pens, notepads, calendars, highlighters, stickers, blue or black gel pens, colored pencils, and bulletin board borders. Believe me, I understand that pull of those brightly colored, potential filled items. They can become so many things! Yes, I know, that’s weird.

In case you ever wondered… Fancy, brightly colored, patterned pencils are often covered by a plastic coating which destroys pencil sharpeners or gets peeled off and left all over the classroom floor. Composition notebooks and spirals with a plastic cover have now moved from being a biodegradable product to one in which a portion cannot be recycled with that portion taking over 400 years to decompose. By the way, stickers don’t stick to the plastic covers anyway. That fancy, expensive pencil box with the snap lock closure? Most of them are broken within six weeks of school starting. Some of those fancy markers have lids that are hard to close causing the markers to dry out quickly and be wasted. Finally, smelly ink pens can make a teacher nauseated when an entire paper is written in that smelly stuff — trust me I know — there really is too much of good thing.

So… when you are shopping for school supplies and your youngest begs you for the fancy whatever, just… no. They will survive — so will you. Follow the list. If you want to get something extra, ask your child’s teacher what he or she needs for their classroom. You may be surprised at the simple items that you could provide to make that classroom run easier. Your child’s teacher will thank you.

***By the way… I hope your school is a part of the Crayola Corporation Marker Recycling Program. If not, check it out! It’s free to the school and only requires a person to volunteer for a few small tasks associated with gathering and boxing up the markers. Google it! It’s a small step, but it can be an important one. 

 

A Lesson in Gratitude

On By mdannels3In Thinking about God, Thinking about SchoolLeave a comment

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I always learn from my students; sometimes the lesson is unexpected.

It started several years ago when I taught middle school in Colorado. There had been a tsunami in Southeast Asia and there was a lot of news coverage. I remember watching children on a beach on one of those islands. They were playing – actually, they were digging through piles of debris that had washed ashore after the tsunami devastated their island, looking for something to play with. It broke my heart.

The next day, I went to school and watched our students with their cell phones and iPods and I wondered how they would do if suddenly everything that they had was gone. Since it was close to Thanksgiving, I decided to turn this current event into a lesson. I talked about how our hands here in the US are so full – full of food, books, games, distractions… And I talked about how those children on the beach had nothing. Their hands were completely empty.

Of course, time moved on and now I’m teaching elementary school in Wisconsin. But the world is still filled with tragedies and incomprehensible loss. I sat in a meeting last week with a woman whose granddaughter lives in Florida. Due to the hurricane that recently impacted that region, that young girl is going to school in a high school and has missed a great deal of school because of the storm. Then of course, there are the fires in the west. Specifically, the fire in the small town of Paradise, California – a town we’ve been to, a place where people we know have made their home.

In my classroom, I watched as one of my students picked up a reading book and then changed his mind and grabbed another one instead, and then repeated that action three or four times. He had so much to choose from while children in Florida and in California have nothing.

So, I once again talked to my students about how their hands are full.

It’s often a hard concept for children to understand – the idea that they have so much when others have nothing. I tied it into the fact that we are almost to Thanksgiving.

I gave my students a piece of paper and asked them to draw around their hand. I asked that they enclose the hand completely. I then showed them a photo of an elementary school in Florida that was damaged during the hurricane. Afterward, we viewed a picture of the burned out skeleton of the elementary school in Paradise. We talked about how the students in those schools – and others impacted by similar tragedies – have nothing because it is all gone. We talked about how very much we have including library books, games, puzzles, text books, desks, playground equipment, a roof, and walls. Truly, our hands are full.

Students were then instructed to write things into the drawing of their hand – things that they have, things for which they are thankful. They kept it on their desk for two days. As they thought of something, they wrote it into their hand. The thought was simple: our hands are full – fill the picture of your hand with things that you have that others may not. It was intended to be an exercise in gratitude, an opportunity to realize how very rich we are in our country, the chance to recognize how much we have.

I completed mine and hung it up on our “Works of Art” bulletin board. The children continued to work on theirs. It took them two days to fill their hands and as they did, they hung theirs up as well. At the end of the last day to turn it in, we were down to two or three students and I reminded them that they needed to be finished. One little girl went to put hers up when I realized what I was seeing…

She had written very small – she always does – and not only did she fill her hand, but she filled the paper around her hand as well. Yes, she FILLED it. Many of the things are definitely fourth grade things, they are written from the perspective of a child. Even so, I was amazed – and I continue to be. SHE FILLED THE PAGE. Some of her listed items make me smile.

Still… She. Filled. The. Page.

When was the last time I was truly aware of the things that fill my hands?

When did I last give thanks for my glasses, or eagles, or land, or buckets, or eyebrows, or zippers? I’ll freely admit it, I’ve NEVER been thankful for spiders… ick. But there are a lot of things on her list that I COULD be and perhaps SHOULD be thankful for.

There is so much more in this world to be thankful for – so many more things to be aware of, to appreciate, to value.

A ten year old reminded me of that fact.

We live in a world that is filled with God’s hand and God’s touch. We need to realize that our hands are full. We need to show our gratitude.

I needed to be reminded; I need to be grateful.

 

I’m the Mom…

On By mdannels3In Thinking about Family, Thinking about God, Thinking about Relationships, Thinking about SchoolLeave a comment

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In our boys early years, I would sit down before school started each year and write a letter to each of their teachers. The boys delivered the letters to them during the first week of classes. It was our way of letting the teacher know that we were going to be involved parents. (Teachers probably thought we would be helicopter parents — I  don’t think we were that bad!) But more than that, it was an opportunity to introduce our children to their teachers. We knew that these handsome little boys would be faces in a crowd and we wanted to give them the best possible start to their school year.

The oldest’s letter went something like this:

“As the oldest of three boys, he is a very responsible young man who hates school, but if he trusts you, he will follow you to the moon and back. He has traveled to many states, seen many amazing things, visited numerous museums, and as a result, is curious about how and why things work. Learning is hard for him. He will ask for help — but only when he’s desperate. He’s hard on himself and thinks that things should come easier than they do. Please be patient with him.”

The middle son’s letter was different:

“This boy taught himself to read when he was four. Learning comes easily to him. He has a photographic memory, is fascinated by WWII, and can explain how submarines work. If you tell him what you plan to teach, he will come to school the next day knowing more about it than you can imagine. He will challenge you — if you misquote a fact, he will correct you and often, he will be right. He is a perfectionist and is very hard on himself. We are trying to help him find balance. Your job will be a tough one, but we believe in you and will pray for you. Keep in touch with us and we will help as we can.”

The letter for the youngest was different still:

“You will find that he is a kind, caring, and gentle young man. His goal in life is to make people around him laugh; we apologize in advance because he’s good at it. He knows how to behave, but may need a gentle reminder or two. When he gets “tickled” he will laugh until he cries — often slapping his leg in the process. He does imitations of adults, movie stars, cartoon characters, and yes, teachers. He learns fairly easily, reads voraciously, loves CALVIN AND HOBBES, and cares deeply about the people who surround him. Honestly, for him, relationships are far more important than learning or grades.”

Like all parents, we knew that our boys were very different young men. They still are. Like all parents, one of the fascinating challenges we faced was helping each of our boys to succeed in the areas where he had ability. While growing stronger in areas of strength is important, we also tried to stretch them and help them to challenge themselves — to find new areas of interest, and to determine new abilities. More than anything, however, we wanted our boys to see God as a loving Heavenly Father and to make the decision to love, follow, and serve Him. We still want that.

As the mom, I love to look back at pictures from our yesterdays: baby pictures, school pictures, holidays, vacations, and everyday snap shots. I often “paint a picture” in my mind of the growth of each of these young men, and sometimes I wonder if we did enough. Was there sufficient laughter and play balanced by times of hard work? Did we travel, learn, and create enough? Was our time together as a family valued? Did we spend enough time together learning about God and serving others?

Naturally, we weren’t perfect, but the pictures remind me that maybe, just maybe, with God’s help we did okay. We see the men they have become and we are proud of them and the choices they are making. Are we disappointed sometimes? Of course, but they are good men — men of character and strength.

These men of character moved from the “little boy stage” to young boys in classrooms, at music lessons, in libraries, at Church, in Sunday School, and in our home — wherever it might have been. Many, many people helped us as we worked to raise them. There were teachers, pastors, Sunday School teachers, Youth leaders, friends and friends’ moms and dads. Ultimately, we are the ones who are responsible for the way they were raised. We were careful to choose people who we believed would love our boys for the  people they were and the men they could become.

That’s why we wrote the letters. That’s why we prayed for their teachers, friends, friends’ parents, neighbors, and the church members who surrounded them. It’s why we prayed for the ones they would love and choose to spend their life with — and it’s why we still do.

Being the Mom is a great honor and privilege, but it is an enormous responsibility — one I wouldn’t trade for anything. This whole Mom thing is one of my favorites, no matter how old those boys get!

A Thankful Teacher

On By mdannels3In Thinking about Family, Thinking about Relationships, Thinking about SchoolLeave a comment

Yesterday was THE day. It was my “D” Day. Okay, maybe it was my “C” Day — my classroom day. It was the first of two workdays to prepare my room for the arrival of twenty-four children who will bring with them noise, energy, questions, answers, ideas, and creativity. Our district has us pack everything away so that the room can be cleaned. Bulletin boards were covered; desks and counters were cleared. It was a barren space.

Yesterday we began making it look like a classroom again — specifically, my classroom again.

When I say we, I mean WE. Us. My own work crew: my family.

That afternoon as I walked away from a classroom that has bulletin boards moved and redecorated, textbooks open and sorted, flyers copied, folded, stacked, and readied for kiddos and their parents, things sorted, moved, tossed, refilled, and a space that is looking welcoming again, I realized that it never would have happened so quickly had I not had the amazing energy and help of my family. And it’s been like that for nineteen years.

As a teacher, I have so much to do. Everyday in the classroom brings work, work, and more work. Days are long — and they don’t end when students exit the building. The stressors are many — legislators, administrators, parents, children, and obligations outside of the classroom.

But that’s only a VERY SMALL part of it, because more than anything, there are the things in this world of education for which I am grateful.

My family — husband and sons, parents, sisters, brother, nieces, and nephews — have all offered support and encouragement as I entered into a new profession with three children at home. I remember when Mr. Gorgeous, the boys, and I were sitting in Wendy’s in Spearfish, SD while on vacation as we told our boys that I was returning to college to complete a teaching degree. Their first response was, “Cool, can I be in your class?” What an amazing response and even today, I remain thankful.

As I worked on my BA, they tolerated requests for quiet, let me practice teaching  them, and critiqued my ideas. (Honestly, the five year old always gave interesting suggestions.) Later, I completed my MS. Again, they were quiet when I needed them to be, served as “lab rats” of a sort as I completed my reading specialization. My husband cooked, folded clothes, herded children and a dog, and helped keep house. Even today, when I get  ready to start a new school year, the boys ask when they will need to be in the room to help get it ready. John saws, builds, cuts, laminates things, picks up fast food, and reminds me to sleep. I could be a teacher without them, I suppose, but it wouldn’t be nearly as easy or half as fun. I am thankful.

When I went to work in a middle school there was a man who taught in the room next door. He became my unofficial mentor. His ideas and leadership were amazing. There were my friends with whom I taught — men and women who gave me ideas and helped me be a better teacher because they challenged me. And today, I work with a team of educators who are amazing at what they do — who help me be a better elementary teacher, who laugh with me, and who encourage me to be a better person. I am thankful.

So far this summer, we’ve made approximately 2,000 trips to our local stores, and at least 1500 visits to Amazon searching for and purchasing exactly the right things for my classroom. Okay, I’m probably exaggerating a little bit. Still to complete my classroom set of composition books, I needed two more. I am thankful for the dear person who sent a giant bag of school supplies to our school, because in the there somewhere were two compositions books and I was saved another trip to the store. It’s not only that generous person, it’s the kind, thoughtful people at our own church who filled four backpacks for our neighborhood school. There are people who bring extra tissue boxes to schools for classrooms full of kids with colds and allergies resulting in runny noses. And so many more… these people — these caring people — make being a teacher manageable; they are some of the many ones for whom I thankful.

And then there are the parents. The parents who prepare their children for school, help them with their homework, and make sure they get the sleep they need. There are the parents who purchase supplies for their child’s classroom. Things like board games, neon colored whiteboard markers, bags of pens, pencils, markers, and crayons, extra paper, and still more tissues — things that make being a teacher a little bit more fun and whole lot easier. Oh yeah, did I mention the Coffee House Gift Cards? How could I be a teacher without my Chai? Yes, I am grateful for parents who see a need and meet it; those who provide support for teachers, schools, and their child. I am thankful.

Of course, I can’t forget my students. The well-behaved and the ornery, the ones who learn easily and those who struggle for every single lesson learned. There are the ones who challenge me daily  with their behavior and their mouth, those who always need to have the last word. Then, there are the ones who bring a dandelion bouquet to their teacher on the first day of school or the jar of flowers from their yard. They are the main reason I do what I do and I am thankful that they share their days, curiosity, and energy with me. I am thankful.

Yes, being a teacher has it’s challenges, but there is SOOOOOOOOO much for which to be grateful — and I am.

I am thankful.

 

Someone Stole My Summer!

On By mdannels3In Thinking about SchoolLeave a comment

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Someone stole my summer!

I mean, it was early June and school had just let out. I cleaned my classroom, attended the last staff meeting, checked out of the building, and my summer began.

We took a short trip and came home. I worked on projects — most of which I didn’t finish, had lunch with a friend a few times, went to District Assembly with our church, attended a workshop, dealt with some medical issues, and worked with a district committee…

And somewhere in the midst of all that, SOMEONE STOLE MY SUMMER!

Suffice it to say that on Monday, I will be back at work. Then, the day after Labor Day, 24 bright, talented children will invade my classroom and invariably, they will move right into my heart.

I’ve discovered that being a teacher is really a strange balancing act.

You see, we accept the loan of other peoples’ children to teach, encourage, train, and challenge. While they are on loan to us, we love them. And, honestly, when they leave us, we still do.

The balance in the love/hate relationship is found in the joy of teaching on one side, and in the reality of it on the other.

The joy of teaching comes in the sweet smiles of kids. It comes when a child who has worked harder than they ever thought they could looks at you with a smile and says, “I got it!” There are the times when the two children who have been fighting for days walk back into class asking if they can sit together. It happens when a child accepts responsibility for a choice — or for their own learning. The joy doesn’t end there, either. It continues as those kiddos grow up, as they “friend” you on Facebook when they get older, or they give you a graduation picture, an invitation to college graduation, a wedding invite, or a baby announcement. Mostly, for me, the joy is felt each time I realize that maybe, just maybe, my influence and love went beyond the classroom and into their life, wherever it leads them.

The reality of teaching hits you in the face every summer when you realize that you are headed back into the classroom for those 50 hour weeks that you wouldn’t trade for anything… but, you know you’re already tired even though the school year hasn’t started yet. There are, of course, the realities of the supplies that have to be bought, that you can’t make everyone happy, and that sometimes the patience will run out before the shenanigans do.

Teaching is just like any other job. There are good days and there are bad days. But, because of the children, MOST of our days are good.

Every summer, I sit down to assess and try to determine ways in which I can make my school year better than the one before. Every school year, I walk into my room filled with optimism and enthusiasm. While I’m there, every time I’m there, I will give it my all. I will work harder than I thought I could and I’ll walk out the door the last day of school exhausted, but knowing I gave it my all.

Honestly, I’ve worked in schools in five different states and 100% of the teachers I’ve had the privilege of working with felt exactly the same way I do. We believe in what we do. We believe in the power of education and we believe in your child.

Parents — the best thing that you can do for your child this year as he or she heads off to school, is believe in them. Give your child the gift of your confidence in them.

Tell them how great their school is, and yes, what an awesome teacher they will have. Give them the gift of a great memory from your school years — hopefully one from their grade, if you have one. Remind them that they are strong and capable. Reassure that precious child that they can do whatever they need to do to survive this day, this week, and this year. When they have a problem with a teacher, let them do the talking as you sit quietly beside them and offer your support. As you do this, they will gain confidence and skill that allows them to face more and more challenges in their life, because more challenges will come and next time, you may not be there.

If they see that you believe they are capable, they will believe it too.

And finally parents, please remember your child’s teacher cares about your child. He or she is human, they have a life and obligations outside of school, just like you do. Believe in them as you believe in your child. As you work together, teacher, student, and parents can become a powerful team to enable your child to have an amazing year!

My summer was stolen by too many plans and optimistic expectations that exceeded the available time. But that’s okay, because in just a few short days, I get to see my amazing kids and start on another epic journey through the mysteries of math, the wonderful world of words in reading and writing, and the sometimes strange worlds of science and social studies. We’ll travel through them together and we’ll all learn about them and about ourselves. Next June we’ll emerge exhausted, but victorious.

I can hardly wait.

 

 

 

It Happened Again…

On By mdannels3In Thinking about Family, Thinking about God, Thinking about SchoolLeave a comment

pexels-photo-289740.jpegIt happened again.

And again.

And again, and again, and again… some reports are saying it’s happened a dozen times this school year alone and 300 times since Sandy Hook.

This morning, someone took gun in hand and went to a school – a school he was familiar with — and changed the lives of every teacher, student, administrator, and staff person in that building.

Tonight… at least 17 families are smaller.

Tonight… at least 17 sets of parents will have one less child to hold.

Tonight… America grieves…

…again.

WHY?

Why did we decide that the right to bear arms is more important than the right for children to attend school – or for teachers to teach school — without fearing for their lives?

Why wasn’t Columbine in 1999 enough? Or Red Lake, MN, or Nickel Mines, PA, or Sandy Hook in Newtown, CN, or Marysville, WA? And now, Parkland, FL – will it be enough?

Why didn’t this all stop with Pearl, Mississippi in 1997?

Not to mention the shootings on college campuses –both public and private.

WHEN?

When will teachers walk into a new classroom and not have to worry about, “Where will I put my students if the unthinkable happens?”

When will mothers and fathers stop burying their babies for no other reason than that they went to school that morning?

_______________________

Tonight, I am overwhelmed by the loss of more and more and more and more children and those people who try valiantly to keep them safe. My heart is breaking for parents, grandparents, brothers, sisters, aunts, uncles, class mates and friends who have lost people about whom they care deeply. I am numb because it really hasn’t been that long since something similar happened in Kentucky and New Mexico.

But it isn’t just the schools anymore, is it? It’s movie theaters, restaurants, and concerts.

Have we forgotten how to appreciate the creation of God? Have we forgotten the value of human life? Is there anything that we can do to bring an end to this madness?

It’s time to solve this.

My own world view says that the true answer to this problem is God and His touch in our world. I truly believe that. Even so, He did give us brains to use, mouths to speak, and ears to hear.

With these God-given tools, we have to value humanity as God’s handiwork again. It’s time to remind ourselves that human life is a gift and that it should be treasured at every age.  We’ve got to understand that mental health issues are a very real part of this problem. And whether we like it or not, we must acknowledge that the easy availability and abundance of guns in our society are a part of the problem.

It is TIME.

It’s time to realize that as long as we remain entrenched in our own opinions and ideas, as long as we choose to believe that our way is the only way, as long as we decide that there is no room for compromise – let alone understanding of another perspective – then we are doomed to more nights where parents mourn with empty arms.

It’s time… in fact,

it’s past time.

 

A Different Drum Beat

On By mdannels3In Thinking about Communication, Thinking about God, Thinking about Relationships, Thinking about SchoolLeave a comment

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Two very recent events are on my mind this morning.

The first, a twelve hour marathon session of Parent/Teacher Conferences where I talked to 20 parents. (Had few who didn’t make it.) We looked at “data” also known as test scores. We looked at grades and reviewed goals we had set in October. Parents asked questions and I tried to answer them honestly. A few children were embarrassed as I talked about their chatty ways and I broke a few hearts as I gave parents the lists of missing assignments from their cherubs. And unintentionally, I overwhelmed a parent or two as I suggested some activities that they could engage in at home to help their child. You see, I understand that some single parents schedules are so tight that an extra ten minutes carved out of three jobs, three kids, and managing a household seems impossible to find. And then I listened.

As always, my favorite part of each conference is something that I’ve practiced for the past 17 years as a teacher. It’s the last three minutes when I take time to list the positive qualities of their child. I’ll be honest and tell you that if I’d had a rough week with a student I have to TRY to come up with the good stuff, but usually, I look at the little one’s eyes and all of those great things fill my mind. Things like kindness, caring, finding humor, commitment to hard work, learning how to self-advocate and ask questions, improved manners, and acting respectfully. In my mind, these are the things that matter. Yes, they need to be able to read and write, to add, subtract, multiply, and divide. But seriously, the person inside is the one I love to watch develop.

The second thing that has added to my thought process today was standing at the kitchen window watching snow flakes fall from the sky while smelling the stew in the crock pot. For the most part, today’s snow flakes are small, close together, and falling swiftly to the ground in an organized pattern. As I watched though, I noticed one gigantic snowflake — larger than a quarter, floating to the ground — not falling. In fact, it was dancing in the breeze. As I watched, it moved to the left and then angled to the right. The breeze caught it and pushed it upward about three feet where it began to float back to the ground once again. At one point two breezes must have collided because the snow flake began twirling as it was floating downward. Every time that flake neared the ground, it was pushed upward again to continue its dance. I’m sure it will make it to the ground. It’s course and it’s timing cannot be predicted because of the winds around it.

People — children included — are a lot like that snowflake. Moving at their own pace to become who they are intended to be.

And that’s okay.

I’ve watched as the world increased its speed. We’ve moved from family nights to children moving from activity to activity and falling into bed exhausted. One girl I taught a year or so ago left school and went to gymnastics for two hours. From the gym she traveled to another gym, doing homework and eating in the car as Mom took her to basketball practice. She finished her homework in the car on the way home. When they got home, she would shower, play 20 minutes of video games and then go to bed. The next day was a repeat. Weekends were spent in tournaments for one sport or other — hers or her brothers. When was she a child?

Instead of families eating together, single parents (and other parents, too) move from job to job while a babysitter feeds their kids and sometimes send them off to bed. While vacations are still enjoyed, they are often weekends here or there, rather than a week of a time together, resting, playing, and making memories.

Some of these changes are by choice; some are necessities.

All of these life choices are valid — but all of them have a price that must be paid.

I’ve also watched as we’ve set timelines and timetables for growing up, maturing, acting “like a fourth grader,” becoming an adult, being responsible, and in general, being successful.

Why?

Well, if we listen to the “experts” we will discover that it is through the use of a matrix that we will be able to measure and define growth, performance, maturity, development, or success. In some ways, I agree with this. But in others, I disagree.

I know and understand that there have to be measures, standards, baselines, and expectations. But somewhere in the midst of all of these things, there needs to be room for the snowflake that dances at its own pace as it falls from the sky to the ground. There needs to be room for the young adult who needs a little bit of help — and we need to stop whining about them needing it. (After all, we adults are responsible for creating the mess that they are trying to navigate.) We need to welcome the child who moves at their own pace instead of speeding through life, missing the dancing snowflakes.

As a high school student, I was often told that I marched to the beat of my own drummer. I was relatively confident and self-assured and I didn’t have any problem marching to that different beat. Unfortunately, there are children and adults all around who would like to march to the beat of their drummer, but they are ridiculed and belittled because they don’t fit the matrix. Perhaps they grow differently than we expected them to. Or maybe, they’d rather dance in the breeze than fall in line with the rest of the snowflakes.

Somewhere in our orderly world of expectation, we need to make room for the dreamers, the dancers, and the divas. We need to let their world slow down so that they can grow and go at their own pace — whether they are children or adults.

The Bible says that we should, “Train up a child in the way he should go and when he is old, he will not depart from it.” (Proverbs 22:6, KJV) While the obvious meaning is spiritual, there is more to it than that. We need to train a child to find value in small things, in time spent together, in learning opportunities, in dancing in the rain, and moving at their own pace — so that they can go their own way.

As the verse says, “…in the way HE should go…” (It didn’t say, “…in the way WE should go…”)

Let’s find a way to combine expectation with freedom so that children — and adults — feel welcome and accepted no matter where they are on the matrix.

Let’s find a way to offer grace so that we can listen to their drum beat instead of trying to make them play ours.

Counting Stars

On By mdannels3In Thinking about Family, Thinking about God, Thinking about Love, Thinking about Relationships, Thinking about SchoolLeave a comment
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“When I consider the heavens…the moon and the stars which You created, What is man that you are mindful of him?” Psalm 8, adapted.

2016 has come and gone. For some, it seems to have been a year of nothing but loss, grief, and pain. For others, a year of change. Still others have celebrated great successes and joys. But most of us have lived through a normal year where both good and bad things have happened in our lives and in the world around us.

My mom was a single mom starting the summer between my fourth and fifth grade years. She taught me a lot of things by simply living her life – she walked her talk and if it is true that character is “caught” as much as it’s taught, I hope that I caught the character with which she lived her life. The things that she taught me can be boiled down to specific sayings that have not only colored my world, but have helped me to become who I am. Among those sayings, there is one that seems to apply to looking back at the old year: “Two men looked out through prison bars. One saw mud; the other saw stars.”

Come along with me as I look for the stars in the past year – and then, maybe, spend some time looking for your own stars.

The year began at home with three of my men – I am so blessed to have a husband who loves me and helps to make an amazing home. Two of our boys, Phil and Ben are with us, and while living with adult sons is sometimes a challenge, it is also something that makes our days brighter and fills them with laughter and conversation.

Nate and Maira traveled out to join us for a week. Wisconsin followed it’s traditional winter pattern and was very cold while they were here, but our hearts were warmed by their presence and our time together. We spent a couple of days with them down in Iowa with family. The memories we have of that time are precious ones.

While teaching in Durand, I enjoyed sunrises and sunsets on my journey to and from work. I experienced safety on the roads and a mechanically sound vehicle with no flat tires. During those nine months, amazing fifth graders – eighty of them – made me laugh and think. They made my days hard sometimes, but most of the time, they made each day fun and better than the day before. The cherry on the top was reading them four historical fiction novels and having them fall in love with classic literature. Of course, there was that one day (maybe it was three or four days, actually), when a secretary gave me a long john with Persian Roll frosting. (My sisters will understand the significance of this delightful event.)

In April, we celebrated the fact that we have had an amazing daughter for four years as Maira and Nate celebrated their fourth anniversary. We love them, miss them, and we are proud of them.

Leading Craft and Chat mornings for the ladies at our church… So yeah, some days they love me – some days they may not, at least not as much… Giggle.

Saying good-bye to my students in May was, as usual, difficult. It was compounded by the fact that shortly after the end of the school year, the decision was made for me to look for a job closer to home. I’m so thankful that many of those students have chosen to say in touch with me on Insta-Gram.

Two weeks spent in Colorado and New Mexico. Time with my dad and second mom, my mom, son, daughter, sister, brother-in-law, nieces and nephews, grand dog Max, Zoey, friends, Scrabble games, the mountains, the desert – time of blessing, joy, and rest. The one down side was not having Mr. Gorgeous there with me.

Being hired to work at Meadowview Elementary as a member of the fourth grade team. It’s an amazing school with an incredible, caring, and learning staff.

Taking Dilly Bars to the firemen and policemen in our town on the 4th of July as a gift from our Church.

Starting school with fourth graders who make me laugh and smile every day.

Having an amazing eye surgeon who wasted no time getting surgery scheduled and saving the vision in my right eye. So incredibly thankful.

A presidential election that – no matter how it turned out – reminds us that we live in a nation where we get to participate in our government, where certain rights are given to us, and where we can say what we want about the political process – even when we should maybe keep our mouths shut.

Thanksgiving – so much for which to be thankful. Celebrating first at school, then at Church and finally at home.

Cold, cold, cold days with wind chill in frigid ranges that remind me to be thankful for warmer days.

A Christmas celebration where I was once again reminded of the hope that we have due to the birth of a tiny baby who didn’t even own a crib, but who laid in a hay trough.

My – how many stars I have for counting.

How about you?