Being newly retired has its challenges. I’m taking another step toward my future. This past Wednesday, March 16th, I spent the day at Green Chimneys School in Brewster. I went with my friend Jean to see their Equestrian Therapy team with the intention of volunteering my services. I was pleasantly surprised and delighted with the day. The weather was no help at all. It rained most of the time we were there and we were in and out of the rain until an hour before we left. I met some amazing people there- some instructors, some interns, some volunteers and some students.
The concept behind Green Chimneys is Animal therapy for children. There are so many animals there that have been rescued or donated for this purpose. There are exotic animals such as llamas, an emu, eagle, and various owls as well as the common raven and crow. They have farm animals that include cows, pigs, sheep, goats, chickens and ducks. In the Equestrian area they have many horses, as well as, miniature horses and donkeys.
I plan to offer my services in the Equestrian Barn. There I will help to take care of the horses by cleaning out their stalls, bringing them out to their outdoor pastures, grooming them for riding classes, and helping the students during the riding classes. I am a novice rider myself and I have a lot to learn in this new field that I have chosen. As I get more and more experience with the horses, I will be more comfortable with the daily chores.
I feel that it is a time in my life that I want to give back for all that I have. The students that I met were polite and respectful of both the teachers and the animals. It is amazing to see how their demeanor changes when they are with the horses. They are more relaxed and confident as they control these animals that are far bigger than they are. I learned a lesson in courage from a boy named Danny when I watched him ride the largest horse in the arena and he was the smallest in the group, only about 4 ft. tall. He looked like a “knight in shining armor” as he sat astride Jackson and commanded him around the course with such presence.
I think I have found my niche.
Friday, March 18, 2011
Wednesday, February 16, 2011
"Coddled" Students vs "Misguided" Parents
Is tough love the answer to the lack of student initiative? Have parents gone too far in coddling their children and sheltering them from the consequences of the real world? My life as a teacher "was no crystal stair". I had my share of student rebellion and parental overreaction. You have to be so careful of how you say things, worry about who may misinterpret, and yet still be true to yourself. I treated my students as if they were my own children (I had taught my own son Math for 2 years in elementary school.). Did I make mistakes in things that I said to them? Of course.
We are all fallible and human. To demand more than humanity from teachers is unrealistic. If you have made a mistake in what was said or done to a student, what is wrong with sitting down with that student, either alone or with the class, and discussing the incident. Mistakes are not bad; they just need to be corrected. Children need to see that teachers are willing to apologize when they are wrong. Just as students need to do the same with their teachers.
Here is the article that prompted a response from me. Read it and form your own opinion. What follows is mine. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/41618492/ns/us_news-life/
This teacher, Natale Monroe, wrote in a blog like this one her feelings and assumptions about her students. I'm sure, like most of us in the education biz, she was not referring to all her students. Just those "nuts" that are harder to crack. By that I mean those that do not seem to understand the importance of an education.
I was once told by a superior that: "I didn't not understand middle schoolers today. That they were not the same as when I went to school. They became rude only because they were embarassed to be scolded in front of thwir peers." The truth was that I did understand them, and I would not accept anything but their best. Hard work does not come easily to many students, but if encouraged they will eventually see it's value.
Tough love has it's place, because many times we are tougher on ourselves and our performance. Never did a time go by that I did not question my role as a teacher, or my beahvior in a situation. You can never go wrong if you are true to yourself and your beliefs.
Parents need to stop feeling guilty for working and not spending as much time with their children as they would like. They have to stop overcompensating and overprotecting them. They need to listen to all sides of an argument and not jump to the conculsion that their child is never wrong or never misunderstands. They need to sit down with their child and the teacher and rationally discuss the best methods for their child to achieve success.
I don't know too many teachers, who are in it for the money. They are dedicated individuals with high moral values who dedicate their lives to a profession that lacks respect in the eyes of some. We need to bring back the respect and work together with the parents for the good of the students. We need to listen to one another and hear what is said for the good of the children in our care.
We are all fallible and human. To demand more than humanity from teachers is unrealistic. If you have made a mistake in what was said or done to a student, what is wrong with sitting down with that student, either alone or with the class, and discussing the incident. Mistakes are not bad; they just need to be corrected. Children need to see that teachers are willing to apologize when they are wrong. Just as students need to do the same with their teachers.
Here is the article that prompted a response from me. Read it and form your own opinion. What follows is mine. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/41618492/ns/us_news-life/
This teacher, Natale Monroe, wrote in a blog like this one her feelings and assumptions about her students. I'm sure, like most of us in the education biz, she was not referring to all her students. Just those "nuts" that are harder to crack. By that I mean those that do not seem to understand the importance of an education.
I was once told by a superior that: "I didn't not understand middle schoolers today. That they were not the same as when I went to school. They became rude only because they were embarassed to be scolded in front of thwir peers." The truth was that I did understand them, and I would not accept anything but their best. Hard work does not come easily to many students, but if encouraged they will eventually see it's value.
Tough love has it's place, because many times we are tougher on ourselves and our performance. Never did a time go by that I did not question my role as a teacher, or my beahvior in a situation. You can never go wrong if you are true to yourself and your beliefs.
Parents need to stop feeling guilty for working and not spending as much time with their children as they would like. They have to stop overcompensating and overprotecting them. They need to listen to all sides of an argument and not jump to the conculsion that their child is never wrong or never misunderstands. They need to sit down with their child and the teacher and rationally discuss the best methods for their child to achieve success.
I don't know too many teachers, who are in it for the money. They are dedicated individuals with high moral values who dedicate their lives to a profession that lacks respect in the eyes of some. We need to bring back the respect and work together with the parents for the good of the students. We need to listen to one another and hear what is said for the good of the children in our care.
Monday, February 14, 2011
Virgin Blogger
This is my first attempt at blogging. I am a recently retired Math teacher of middle schoolers. When I told that to a saleslady today, she said that I was a SURVIVOR. I guess you can say that I am a survivor of the system. Teaching is a difficult, but satisfying occupation. For the last few years of my career, I taught students who had difficulties comprehending math. My job was guide and navigator of those rough waters. My kids did well. Many of them overcame years of fear concerning math. They looked at it as so many rules. I told them to see patterns, no rules just patterns. Those patterns made sense to many of them and opened doors that had been closed for years. I will share with you, my fellow bloggers, ideas that I have and random thoughts that I will form. For now this is my first and there will be many more to come.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)