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That’s Not My Problem
Over the years I have always had a contingent of students in my classroom with a strong ability to care for others. These children are quick to notice when someone else needs help. They are more in touch with what is going on with other students in the class. Their ability to reach outside of themselves is a gift. This gift often comes with a price, however. Frequently, these students spend an inordinate amount of time looking to the needs of others, and they don’t get what they themselves need to have done completed. Sometimes, they are borderline nosy – wanting to get in on any conversation or interaction that…
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What’s Your Word?
No matter what we are facing in life – either good or bad – inevitably, one facet takes precedence in our minds. Being on a trip, our word might be “fun” or “relaxed”, for example. In our young parenting days, “tired” might be the reigning concept. The trials in our lives tend to boil down to one word also. It is around this pivotal point that we focus our energies and that reaches out to every other aspect of our lives. This main irritation/challenge/problem, works its way through our lives, impacting our thoughts and actions. What is your word? Cancer? Isolation? Fear? Unemployment? Grief? … My current word is “frustration”.…
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Clock Watching
I never thought of myself as a clock watcher until January 1st of this year. On that day, a glitch caused the clock on my SUV to always be at 12:15 when I turn on the ignition. Nothing I can do can update the time and the manufacturer says it will be at least six months before there is a fix for the problem. Every time I glance at the time on my dashboard, I am annoyed … and I look at it a lot. I’m not sure why time is such a high priority as I make my commute to work, but it is definitely on my mind. Time…
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Absolute Joy
A little girl stands at the top of a hill. All around her are children, filled with glee as they go racing down through the snow with their sleds. She is uncertain. It is all so strange to her. Only weeks ago, she was in the hot, arid climate of Africa. She has had to adjust to many things since her move to our country. Our cold winter is a shock to her. Her experience with snow is limited and sledding is a large unknown. One of the staff on outside recess supervision approaches her with a sled. I can see the discussion and the sign language as the…
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When Bad Persists
As I write this, I am working from home this week. Our jurisdiction postponed the start of school one week to give school boards the opportunity to make plans for the anticipated rough ride ahead with a new Covid variant. I am supposed to be planning but it is hard to know for what. Will school be in person? Will I need to instruct my students online for a time? Uncertainty breeds fear, discontent, and turmoil. I find myself feeling easily irritated and upset. I want normal life again. I don’t want to have to think about masks and protocols and adapting to all that is needed to function…
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He Understands
A baby is born…tiny, helpless, needy. The little one depends on others for all aspects of life – nourishment, shelter, clothing, social/emotional care, etc. It boggles my mind how our loving Saviour walked this path to reach out to us. Think of it – Jesus, almighty God – became an infant. He could have come to earth in any form but God sent Him as a baby. While many expected the Messiah to appear as some great leader, Jesus arrived, as we all do, as a child. That’s part of what makes Jesus such an incredible Saviour. He has experienced everything we do. He was the child, nurtured by…
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The Right Start
The morning rush exhausts me at times. My to do list is great as I prepare for my long commute to school. I need a proper breakfast to nourish me through the morning. Lunch needs to be prepared and my tea mug filled. I have papers to gather and school bags to fill and so on. It is very easy to get caught up in the flurry of activity and feel rushed and overwhelmed with all that needs doing before I head out the door. I cannot easily come home for things forgotten and so the pressure is on to be totally ready for my day. In times past, I…
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I Don’t Know
This list of things I don’t know at my new school seems to be growing rather than diminishing. It seems that every week there is something else I need to figure out, a new hurdle to master. At times it is downright exhausting trying to discern what I need to do so I can keep on top of things and keep my class functioning properly. Added to my disconcertion is that I often don’t know who to ask to help me. My coworkers are very gracious about answering my questions but sometimes I don’t get the right person for what I need. How am I supposed to ask questions…
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Consumed
Reports are due. Training needs completing. Students require assistance on many fronts. New school division strategies must be implemented. Meetings to attend. Massive emails to read. Students need counselling and observation. I could make a very long list about what needs to be done in my teaching week. Just when I think I have scaled one mountain, there are four more on the horizon. I find myself unable to keep up with everything and so what is my solution – long hours to try to fit it all in. It is now the weekend and the pile of work I brought home stares me in the face, taunting me…
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It’s Too Hard
“Mrs. Goerz, I just can’t do it. This is too hard for me.” I hear these words in my classroom from time to time and they concern me. While I challenge my students to do better and move ahead, I do not give them work that they are incapable of doing. I choose lessons and activities that meet the needs of my students, right where they are at. I provide support throughout the learning process and encouragement to complete the task. So where does the “it’s too hard” language come from? For many students it is simply not listening to instructions properly and they don’t know what to do. …
