We all have that
story.
You know that
story…the story of tomorrow, September 11th. Where you were, what
you were doing, who you were with, what time of day it was when you heard, the
expressions of the people around you. Everyone has that story. It’s the story that at some point down the road (if you
haven’t already), you will tell your kids, and your grandkids, and maybe even
your great grand kids. On a side note, I highly encourage you to write your
story down. While these stories are a dime-a-dozen because everyone has a
story, it is uniquely your story, and
there can be no value attached to that story for your family and your kids.
So you have that story. Here’s a crazy thing about September
11th, 2001. Every kid now in an elementary school across America was
not born on that horrific day. Think of that – every kid that wakes up today
and heads off to an elementary school wasn’t even alive on that morning.
Where did the time go?
I was watching the news earlier this week and they were
doing story after story of negative after negative happenings. It is what it
is. I’m a news-junkie, so I have become accustomed to whatever it is they are
reporting on that isn’t really “news” but more sensationalism to get
viewership, but it keeps me up to date on certain things, and then I can go do
my own homework on the story to find out what is really happening.
But that day, September 11th, there wasn’t really
any denying what we were seeing. It was happening all on live television, and
those memories are as fresh in my mind as anything could be. They probably are
in yours too. You don’t forget things like that.
But the kids in today’s elementary schools weren’t even
alive for it. If you take a quick poll in your class asking students if they
know what happened on 9/11, you may even find that some of them don’t even know
the reason that day is important in American history.
So why bring this up? Why a 2nd “downer” blog (I
promise I’m not a downer!! This is heavy stuff, I know!)
The most recent news story to capture the attention of
America is the story of the now-former NFL player who punched his then-fiance
while they were at a casino, knocking her out cold in an elevator and then
dragging her body into the lobby outside of the elevator once they had reached
their floor. And how many facebook posts have you seen about this story? How
many news segments have talked about this? It’s ALL OVER THE PLACE. And maybe
it should be.
But there’s a lot of psycho-analysis going on here. I saw
one blog post that had nearly 50 comments on it, and it was going back and
forth about women’s rights and men needing to step up and be men and this and
that and blah blah blah…
I chimed in with a simple thought, really: In kindergarten,
we learn to not hit each other.
Period. You don’t hit someone else.
Did either of these 2 people in this incident ever learn
that in kindergarten? What are their kindergarten teachers thinking right now?
Is it an, “Oh my goodness, what did I do wrong?” moment for their former
teachers? Is it a, “Yeah, I saw that coming years ago…” moment for their past
educators?
Is it a, “What am I doing now to do everything I can to
ensure my students don’t do this someday to their significant other?” moment
for you?
We are held to high standards as teachers – not only as
professionals, but in your personal lives as well. And just like the standards
we are held to, we are hired to teach to the standards of whatever state we
live in – right now, most likely, a common-core standard for you. But is there
any time in the day for teaching kids to not hit? Is there time in the day to
remind kids of what it’s like to be good to each other? To love each other? To
be generous with your time, with your money, with your heart, with your life? I
hope there is.
I hope you are finding even 5 minutes a day to just tell
your kids the value of love.
The value of kindness.
The value of standing up for what is right and good and true
and noble and honorable and peaceful.
I hope that you don’t ever look back and think, “Should I
have said something”, or “Should I have done something” or “Why didn’t I say or
do something?”
We’re in a unique place as educators. Eluding to the last
blog, we spend more time with the kids in the 9 months we have them than many
of their parents or older siblings do. And so often it feels we are told we
aren’t the parents of these kids and to just stick to the standards and don’t
say anything controversial ever in a classroom.
But I would submit that teaching kids – nay, showing kids what generosity looks like,
what kindness looks like, what doing the right things looks like, is just as
important as any lesson from the standards you are held to teach to. Because
they may be the best mathematician in the class, or the most scientifically
inquisitive minded, or the best writer, or the best speller or the best ___________
(you fill in the blank.) But best or not, if they hit someone, if they resort
to violence like we see too many people do today, then they still have a lot to
learn.
Much of this world still has a lot to learn.
You can make a difference today for those kiddos in your
classroom. Just like we learned in kindergarten, it might be a good reminder to
those 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th,
6th, 7th, 8th, 9th, 10th,
11th and 12th graders that it’s not okay to physically
assault someone. You may not be able to fix the brokenness inside the student
that you suspect may be assaulting or is being assaulted, but you can say something to someone. Don’t let
it go friends. If you suspect, say something.
The news will tell you stories of sadness, of physical
assault in elevators and abuse around the country and sadly, planes flying into
towers. It happens on a world-scale for too many people all over this world and
it’s big and heavy and hard and not fun to deal with on any level – but you can
do your part in your classroom of 20 to 30 kids today. Show them love, show
them kindness, show them good. Again, referencing the last blog, “Be Them”.
Happy teaching today friends! More soon.
Josh Lee
If you’d like a good cry for a minute, here you go. Don’t stay silent on abuse – say something. (Or if I want to be cool, I guess I have to type it #saysomething). Yep!
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KtNYA4pAGjI
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