words.

today was a better day at school. :)

we had a loooong staff meeting yesterday at work and we talked about various happenings and the usual business. and some constructive criticism was generally given to us as a group...about what we say and how we say it to our students. and it really made me think about what i say and how i say it to these kids who sometimes want attention or don't understand or who genuinely are trying to answer... and sometimes i don't see that because i am tired or because they are loud or because they are asking for help on every single math problem instead of trying them or looking in their book for the answers and i am a bit short in my responses. i started to think about these kids.... and there isn't a ton i can do, but they are with me for 6 hours or so a day and how many times in those 6 or so hours am i speaking encouragement to them? how much time is spent praising the good? how much time is spent scolding or making remarks that probably don't need to be made that continue the issue in the class? how could i handle disruptions or situations better? i don't know what the home lives are like for a lot of my kids...and even the ones that i have an idea about, i still don't know really what is said to them or how they are treated at home. some don't come from christian homes.... so when they are with me for the 6 or so hours.... i want them to be built up... i want them to know that they are chosen and they were not a mistake. i want them to know that they are here for a reason and that god has a plan for their lives. ...and along with that still teach the solar system and teach unit multipliers and correct and teach and instruct all mixed in with that.

there have been a few student that have been in the school since kindergarten and have never really plugged in or cared at all about christian things. one of those students has started clapping in chapel. that is no big thing on the surface, but the student clapping is significant. his heart is a little bit softer than it was last year and the year before and the year before that. this student also claims they do not like bible class because of the work...but this kid will pull out the bible and will try to find the answer before everyone else...and usually does. a heart has been softened. a seed has been planted. i want that seed to grow....i don't want it to be crushed because of something that is said or something that is done unintentionally that hurts someone.

kind words can be short and easy to speak, but their echoes are truly endless.
-- mother teresa