Laughs and Inspiration


The Star Polisher

 
I have a great job in the universe of occupations.  What do I do? 
I'm a "star polisher." 
It's a very important job. 
If you want to know how important, just go out at night
and look at the stars twinkling and sparkling. 
You see, I'm a teacher.  The stars are the children in my class. 
My job is to take them--in whatever shape they come--
and shine and buff them
and then send them out to take their places
as bright, twinkling beacons in the sky. 
They come into my room in all shapes and sizes. 
Sometimes they're bent, tarnished, dirty, crinkly, or broken. 
Some stars are cuddly and soft.  Some are prickly and thorny. 
As I buff and polish, I train and teach my little stars; 
I tell them they can do anything they set their minds to. 
I tell them they can be the brightest, shiniest stars in the sky
and the world will be a better place because of them. 
Each night as i look at the sky,
I'm reminded of my very important job and awesome responsibility. 
Then I get my soft buffing cloth and my bottle of polish
in preparation for tomorrow...
for my class of little stars.
--Leah Becks

You Are the Miracle
 
It is often said that the classroom is a place where miracles happen.  Indeed, it is a place where students with very different personalities
and different learning styles and abilities come together
from different backgrounds--even different cultures--
to learn the things that will enable them to prosper throughout their lives. 
None of this is possible without the presence of you, the teacher! 
You come in the classroom and give to all your knowledge,
your high hopes, your belief, and your heart. 
Because of your decision to be a teacher in this school,
our young people will learn important things
that will help them build a rich and rewarding life. 
You are the miracle!
You are a special breed,
one in a million,
who chooses to make the nurturing of young people your vocation. 
It is a noble choice. 
The challenges are great,
but so are the rewards for teachers like you
who are striving to do your job masterfully. 
Few professionals will have the influence
that you will have as a result of your work. 
And few will witness the miracles that you will witness as a result of who you are, what you have chosen to do, and how you have chosen to do it!

 

The Garden in My Classroom
 
My classroom is my garden,
And my students are the seeds.
In late summer I open envelopes,
And shake out all their needs.
 
All fall I labor long
To tend each needful row
And nurture every tender shoot
With all the love I can bestow.
 
In winter, under icy blasts,
It's hard to see beneath the snow
And still ensure my efforts
Are helping flowers grow.
 
Yet, each spring I see my garden
As tiny flowers begin to show,
And I realize that lives are richer
Because of the love that I could show.
--Ivan Kershner

 

Children First
 
Let us remember, our children are on loan to us...
growing into the thinkers and oers of tomorrow.
They belong to the future.
Give them all that they need to begin the journey,
wiser than their predecessors.
Teach them first the ABCs of living.
Adventure is all about life-long learning.
Believe in something better than yourself.
Character exemplifies integrity.
Do the 'right thing'--it's never wrong.
Excellence is a choice.
Find your passion.
Give more than you get.
Hold on when everything seems impossible.
Ideas mean you are thinking.
Judge intention.
Know who you are.
Laught at yourself.
Make a difference.
Never fear.
Own your thoughts, your words, your actions.
Plan fyour future; don't just let it happen.
Qualify your actions..know why you do what you do.
Read everything you can get your hands on.
Search for your dream.
Truth is what you are striving for.
Use knowledge for the betterment of mankind.
Vote...it's your voice.
Work is the only wat to get from here to there.
X is the unknown, waiting to be comprehended  by a curious mind.
Yes!!  Say YES to life!
Zest for living makes every day new.

 

Winning Team
 
Each year at a Fourth of July Threshers' Reuinion, huge horses are hooked up to a sled to test their muscle and mettle in the "horse pull."  Weights are added until each horse reaches its limit.  One year, the duel came down to two horses, each of which succeeded in pulling 4,500 pounds.  Then an old farmer suggested that they be hitched up together to see how much they could pull.  It seemed logical that 9,000 pounds would be the limit--but as a team, the horses hauled an amazing 12,000 pounds!
Like the horses, parents and teachers can achieve more for children when they work together than when they work separately.  Parents know more about their children than teachers ever will.  Teachers know more about developmental stages and learning processes than parents do.  By combining their knowledge and expertise, parents and teachers can give children a better chance for success!!
 

 

Torches to Light the Future
 
We are living in an era in which the pace and scope of change dwarf anything ever experienced in human history.  Our challenges might be compared to finding our way on a very dark night.  We need light to show the path and help us make the best choices.  before the days of electricity and flashlights, night travelers often depended on torches to push back the darkness and allow them to travel safely and avoid getting lost.  As we move into the unnown and unimagined territory of the new millennium, we will all need torches, in the figurative sense, to help us find our way and to light the way for students as well.  Among the torches we must light and pass along to our students are:
  • The Torch of Hope.  Hope is at the core of our drive for success and our ability to persist in the face of adversity.
  • The Torch of Imagination.  Our dreams allow us to contemplate what could be, not just what is.  Our imagination moves us beyond today's reality and is the first step toward creating the life we want to live.
  • The Torch of Efficacy.  When we realize we are capable of influencing what happens around and to us, we add strenth to our hopes and power to our dreams.
  • The Torch of Respect.  When we respect ourselves and others, we are more likely to make responsible choices and to see those around us as positive resources.
  • The Torch of Connectedness.  When we feel connected to our community and the larger society, we understand our roles as sewards of earth and protectors of the dignity of life.  We cannot predict or control the future, but we can provide our students the torches needed to light their way and make the journey safer and more successful.  Although we will not travel that full journey with them, we can be assured that we have done our best to prepare them for what lies ahead.
 
Last Modified: Saturday, Sep. 19, 2009
 
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