Thursday, December 20, 2012

Prayers, People, and Preparations

As I sit down to write this, a blizzard is in progress on the other side of our windows.  We are expecting 12 - 14 inches of snow in Wisconsin before this storm moves on tomorrow morning, and the blizzard warnings are in place because of projected 35 - 40 mile per hour wind gusts.  Since I have been out in the snow three times today taking out and bringing in garbage cans, however, I really question that this heavy, wet snow is going to do much blowing anywhere.  I guess time will tell.

The prayers mentioned in the title are not only for everyone to travel safely across the Midwest as the blizzard crosses the midsection of America, but also for the families of the innocent children and teachers who were recently slain at Sandy Hook Elementary School.  As adults, our instinct is to protect children, so when we are unable to do so, we find the motives of the perpetrator of such violence both reprehensible and inconceivable.  The question always is, "Why?" but in watching news reports, we can see some hints, and the guilt may lie a bit in all of us.  We learned that Adam Lanza, the shooter, was someone who due possibly to Asperger's, was socially maladjusted.  As a teacher myself, I have had several students who suffered from this condition, and for the most part, they were kind, sweet, albeit socially-awkward people who simply wanted to have friends like everyone else.  Asperger's does not cause violence; it may, however, make a person feel alone if others do not accept him or her.  We know this young man felt alone and that he struggled with school.  We also learned that his mother both tried to work with him in school and had several "altercations" with the school system, so much so that she home-schooled him for a while.  We begin to see a pattern of blaming others for his problems instead of having people trying to teach him how to cope with frustration and disappointment while taking responsibility for his actions.

I fear that this trend does not end with this one young man.  I have just finished teaching after 30 years, and both I and my colleagues have noticed a trend in the past 10 years of coddling our students instead of teaching them personal fortitude and responsibility.  If the student fails, it is not his fault; the teacher must not be teaching him correctly.  If another student fails to take an interest in school and do her homework, it is not her fault; the teacher must not be entertaining her enough or motivating her enough to want to do the work.  We are babying our students to a state of finger-pointing and blaming others rather than preparing them to face the ever-increasing dangers and challenges of the real world.  I shudder to think of how so many of today's students will function in society when they are not equipped to use critical thinking, personal resolve, and independent responsibility to solve the world's problems.  We as teachers and as parents must stop crippling our children by doing everything for them; they must become self-sufficient, strong students who take responsibility for their own actions before they ever leave high school.

I also am saddened that the public is being fed the image that the personnel and teachers at Sandy Hook Elementary School were unique in their heroic behaviors.  Were they heroes?  Yes, certainly they were. Their actions resulted in them saving many, many children who, I hope, will honor those heroes by growing to be responsible citizens.  Yet I hope that the public realizes that those school workers and teachers were just doing what every teacher I have ever met would instinctively do without pause.  Teachers are like all of the other people -- police officers, firefighters, doctors, nurses, and first responders-- who dedicate their lives to serving the public.  Teachers teach because they want to help others; they want to equip their students with the knowledge and skills to be contributing, productive members of society.  They love what they do, and they love their students.  I come from a family filled with teachers, and there is not one of us -- whether teaching kindergarten or college classes -- that would not have done everything in his or her power to protect our students.  Those heroic Sandy Hook teachers exemplify the majority of teachers in America.  They face low pay, tight budgets, overcrowded classrooms, little recognition, long work hours, and yes, sometimes true physical dangers, as they walk into their classrooms each day.  If you are reading this, thank the teacher who taught you how to think and to read.  Teachers all are true heroes, and be comforted that they will sacrifice everything to keep our children safe.

We are deeply immersed in the holiday season, so even in this midst of tragedy for the nation, this is a time of wonder, hope, and joy.  I look forward to having my children home for the holidays, to bringing my mother here for a visit as well, and to planning for the coming year.  Rick and I leave for Florida soon after the new year, and we take with us both plans to continue working on Gladys and dreams of adding yet another generation to our family in the form of a grandchild.

I wish all who are reading this blog peace, love, and joy for this holiday season and the for the coming new year.


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