We Remember

I have been thinking about the people that we come in contact with on daily basis, and how our interactions with them can change the way they view other people, life and different circumstances. In teaching, I see how teachers impact a child’s life daily. The true saying it takes a village could not be more true. Personally I have had five children of my own, but I can tell you I have dozens of surrogate children who I have love, mentored, and cherished throughout the years. A child’s ability to learn, think, love and grow is based on how they see themselves, and how they view others. A teacher can have a profound impact on their world view. I sat back tonight and thought about the four-year anniversary of Sandy Hook, and the impact on how that one school so tragically affected by an evil tragedy has we view the safety of our nation, the safety and greatest responsibility of not only educating our youth, but their physical well-being, and emotional growth. I recall stories of how the administration, the teachers, the students, the parents, and community evolved and grew that day. Tragedy will always bring growth, for it must occur for one to heal. I don’t want to think about the specific details of that day, for most of us will never know. I want to think about the awesome responsibility that we have to show our children that even through the horrors of the darkness, there is still light; a light that never can be extinguished because we have a God. God was there that day,  He gave the wisdom to the teachers that were at school that day, to hide them, protect them, comfort them, guide and keep them . We can all say we would have handled it differently, but until you have been in a classroom full of first graders, trying to get them to whisper is a heavy burden often impossible to accomplish.

God says if we ask him for wisdom, He will give it to us! ( James 1:5). Deep in my thoughts tonight, I just wanted to share my thoughts.

Gosh, I am so blessed, I came home from school today. My children came home from school today! Social media is putting out a PSA written from the survivors of Sandy Hook, I wanted to share the link here. It is deep, and personal, and I can honestly see I missed most all of the details the first time I watched it. See it, and tell me what you see! What we see could, no would save a life one day.

 

Faithfully,

 

Traci

 

 

 

Bubbles and Ducktails

 

I read an interesting article tonight on an education website geared towards teachers. The article spoke of the importance on teaching structure, consistency, and order in the classroom. It spoke of when children start school they must be taught what is expected of them and that expected behavior needed to be modeled. In order for a class to walk down the hall from one class to another it must be modeled for them of the teacher’s expectation of a straight line (3 S line) and “bubbles” in their mouth. (to be silent). So the saying of “Bubbles and Duck tails” teach children that when they walk down the hall they are still,  quiet and orderly.

The reason for the article below is because I was trying to find the study that coincided with what I remembered being taught long ago, that a child is pretty consistent with his behavior and mannerism’s by about the fourth grade. The FBI did a study on children years ago and established that the fourth grade was the turning point for children. I am not saying by any means that any child cannot change bad behavior, but what I am saying is naturally the fourth grade mark is pretty consistent in what I have seen in elementary school education. I will continue to look for that article on that study, and if you find it please send it to me.

Anyways, I am sharing another good article on children from the FBI website.

http://www.fbi.gov/stats-services/publications/law-enforcement-bulletin/may_2011/school_violence