Life is not about waiting for the storms to pass- it is about learning to dance in the rain.

Monday, January 21, 2008

Real World Hazards of Teaching

I always thought it could never be me, never be my school, never be my district. This one has hit way too close to home. The high school that our middle school feeds into.

She is not someone I know, although I might recognize her if I were to see her. Chances are we have been at the same meeting at some point in time. She's not someone I've taught with, although she very well could have been. Moves between middle school and high school are done regularly, especially in the arts areas. She's a colleague, somebody's friend, somebody's co-worker. Soon I'll discover that I know someone who does know her. A friend of a friend. It's happened here.

The perpetrator (according to those who know, because no one is telling the name of a juvenile) is not from our school, but he went to middle school somewhere. He's not someone I know or have known, but I may have a dozen more almost like him.

Last week I ran into a former student working at a local crafts store. He recognized me and inquired about other teachers and the school. He's out of prison now having served his time for accessory to murder. He was a passenger in a car from which a drive-by was committed. And there are others that we know about. Crimes committed after leaving our hallowed halls. The rapist who ran to Mexico. The murderer who served time in a mental hospital. Not to mention the armed robber of convenience stores and gas stations. Those are the ones we hear about, recognize the names in the paper.

Then there are the National Merit Scholars. The graduates from college who choose teaching as a profession. Other graduates who contribute to society in various ways. These students too pass through our hallowed halls on their way to other things, getting on with life.

Dear God, help us as public school teachers to nurture the good in students, to teach character and ethics along with reading, writing and mathematics. Help us to care enough to attempt to alleviate the pain that some experience, to recognize the call for help before it is too late. And God, give us hope. We need an extra measure of Faith, Hope and Charity. By Your Grace!!


http://www.suntimes.com/news/metro/750245,elgin012008.article


6 comments:

Mrs. Darling said...

Things like that make me thankful that I am in a position to homeschool!

Thanks for your kind words on my blog today!

Anonymous said...

I will pray for you and the students at your school. Teaching is hard work under the best of circumstances. Also, thanks for visiting my blog.

Melanie @ This Ain't New York said...

Thanks for the comments on my blog and bless you for being a donor!

Ann said...

This is awful :( I've been having a hard time with the fact that my kids have to go to public school now that we've moved. Homeschooling seems more and more appealing. But, I was a public school teacher toof (second grade) and know that there are Christian teachers in public schools, kind loving teachers. And even in a Christian school there can be a student who does something like that.

It makes me think of what the pastor said about the true definition of hope. Our hope is in Jesus Christ, not other things, like the kind of school our kids go to. Understanding what hope truly is helps me to not get caught up in worrying.

PJ said...

You're so right, Ann. One of our issues is the illusion of control. We imagine that if we keep out kids close, nothing bad can happen. Our hope and our trust must be in His hands. Not the circumstances.

a passive observer said...

Hello,

you commented on my blog about 2 months ago. I never got a notification of that and I was just writing back to thank you. you probably dont even remember what you said, lol. But thats ok, because your words still touched me. Thank you.

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