powerful antidote

Last week, one of the PLC’s I’m in watched some video produced by PBS about brain development and learning.  One of the segments spoke to the power of self esteem.  I also heard a keynote speaker on the weekend talk about how there are two sides to self esteem – there are some psychologists who think it is all about feeling it, and some who would argue it is about thinking it but none of them dispute the impact of positive self esteem on a child’s capacity to learn and thrive in the school environment.  This week of discussion had me remembering my daughter’s experience as a third grader.

My daughter loved school and was a good student, not exceptional but definitely capable.  She loved her teachers and enjoyed a good rapport with all of them.  But third grade was unique.  She was teacher’s pet that year.  While I worried about the effect the favoritism had on Brittany’s classmates, I didn’t mind for a single minute this teacher adoring my daughter; Brittany absolutely glowed from September to June.

At the end of that year, Brittany was tested for the capable learner’s program.  These programs don’t exist in very many places any more.  Students had to be in the top 2% academically and/or creatively. The “Aiming High” class, as it was called, brought those top students together for one day a week at one of the elementary schools to do different projects. I truly believe every child would benefit from this kind of experience.  I was pleased Brittany was able to be a part of this program and extremely disappointed when my son was not 4 years later.

Brittany is a creative and intelligent young woman and I’m sure it isn’t just because she was accepted into that class when she was 9 years old.  But I do think that year as teacher’s pet was amazing for her self esteem.  She felt invincible.  I also wonder about the influence of that experience on her test to get into the Aiming High class. I’ll never know – but if there’s any way I can duplicate the power of creating that kind of self esteem in my own students,  I’m gonna do it.

virus

i’ve got that new virus – you know the one they named “heartbleed”

i’ll bet you’ve got it too,

especially if you’re a teacher

or a counselor – or studying to be one

or involved in pastoral care

or a health care worker

or a parent

or a spouse

or a child

or a sibling

or a friend

or..

alive….

 

mmm

i think i know how to contain this virus

once and for all.

 

stop working with people

actually, more than that,

stop loving people

just stop

loving

 

sorry, no can do

 

Only every day

I heard the end of an interview on the radio today and it inspired these words:

“Only every day,”
was his answer to the question.
only every day

What was the question?
Do you think of…
do you miss…
do you love…
do you long for..

What question would you answer with those three little words?
What deserves all of your attention
Only every day.

sung poetry

My daughter introduces me to her favorite new music whenever I visit and we are driving in her car. I used to become nervous every time she started fiddling around with her dashboard while she drove – now she has voice command and I can relax and just listen to the lyrics.
I envy songwriters. They get to write poetry and then take their insight up a notch by putting music to it. I usually love the songs Brittany shares with me. I listen carefully knowing these songwriters are telling me what is uppermost on her mind and heart – she is just using the music and the sharing of it with me to communicate what she sometimes has difficulty saying. Often she is paying attention to messages I have been trying to tell her for years.  I’m glad she can hear them from some one!
So, fresh from my most recent visit with my daughter, I offer these thank you’s: to Joshua Radin and Pink, for the poetry and insight you have added to my life and the joy you bring my daughter.