teach. pray. - I Would Die For Your Child
Earlier this week, my students were working away at their desks, and I was near my classroom window grabbing papers from a tray on my back counter. As I stood there turning all the papers in the same direction, in my peripheral vision, I noticed a flash of movement pass by the window. Instantly, my heart dropped. I stopped turning papers, and I slowly turned my head toward the window as my heart pounded in my chest. With a hellacious gasp of relief, I realized the flash was a small branch with dead leaves blowing by. Then, my mind went on a crazy adventure.
What if that flash had been a crazy person? What if I had looked and seen an ill-intended person pointing a gun at me? Would I have been able to get those 16 innocent lives safely out of the classroom? Would I have been calm enough to think rationally? Would I have been brave enough to put my life on the line for them?
For the first time in nine years of teaching, I felt afraid. For the first time in nine years of teaching, I thought about being shot and killed. For the first time in nine years of teaching, I thought about my students watching a complete stranger murder their teacher and friends. I envisioned their innocence and their trust in the world being hijacked by a very sick individual.
On my way to work the next day, I was listening to a book by Marianne Williamson. "Fear does not induce learning," she read. That one statement stuck with me all week.
Fear does not induce learning.
I've kept my voice quiet about recent debates going on in the media about arming teachers with guns. I've kept my voice somewhat quiet when I've heard the general public make statements like, "Teachers get summers off. Why should they get more pay?" I've kept my voice quiet when I've heard generalized statements blaming teachers for the faults in the American education system.
Today, I raise my voice on behalf of educators and students.
I support the freedom to bear arms. There's a gun in our home. I've been trained to handle a gun. I have a concealed weapons permit. I DO NOT SUPPORT ARMING TEACHERS WITH GUNS! Let me repeat, I DO NOT SUPPORT ARMING TEACHERS WITH GUNS! There are other ways to ensure security.
It would be VERY easy for me to make the argument that teachers are underpaid and shouldn't be given the added pressure of carrying a firearm. But, that's too easy. I could also make the argument that most teachers are already on some sort of anti-anxiety and/or anit-depressant medication and the added mental stress would be too much. But, that's too easy. I could make the argument that teachers are nurturers, not militants. But, that's too easy.
I think, as a society, we should get to the root of the matter. Let's start by putting faith and family first in life rather than brands and celebrities. Let's make being a moral and ethical individual important again rather than being selfish and putting ourselves before everyone else. Let's start by sitting down at the dinner table with one another again rather than stuffing our faces with addictive fast food. Let's make reading to children and conversing with them a priority rather than our iPhones and social media pages. Let's hold ourselves and our children accountable for unsavory life decisions rather than blaming others for our faults and wrongdoings. Let's start being kind rather than entitled. Let's start listening to one another rather than arguing about who's "right" and who's "wrong." Let's start by finding solutions rather than creating more problems. Let's start by working to live rather than living to work. Let's start by smiling at a stranger rather than ignoring them. Let's start by valuing education rather than denouncing it. Let's start by celebrating our differences rather than segregating them.
Fear does not induce learning.
We are a country full of fear, and it's bleeding into our schools. We fear our house isn't big enough or nice enough. We fear we don't drive the right car. We fear our clothes aren't in style. We fear our lives aren't Facebook perfect. We fear our children's feelings will get hurt. We fear our own feelings getting hurt. We fear not having control. We fear differences. We fear each other. We, as a country, are not learning. Fear is keeping us from learning and growing. Fear is driving us down a spiraling road to the wrong place.
Fear does not induce learning.
I don't have all the answers or really any at all. What I do know is this: teachers aren't society's miracle workers. And, before you complain about your child's teacher I want you to remember this, they would put THEIR life on the line and die for YOUR child.
What if that flash had been a crazy person? What if I had looked and seen an ill-intended person pointing a gun at me? Would I have been able to get those 16 innocent lives safely out of the classroom? Would I have been calm enough to think rationally? Would I have been brave enough to put my life on the line for them?
For the first time in nine years of teaching, I felt afraid. For the first time in nine years of teaching, I thought about being shot and killed. For the first time in nine years of teaching, I thought about my students watching a complete stranger murder their teacher and friends. I envisioned their innocence and their trust in the world being hijacked by a very sick individual.
On my way to work the next day, I was listening to a book by Marianne Williamson. "Fear does not induce learning," she read. That one statement stuck with me all week.
Fear does not induce learning.
I've kept my voice quiet about recent debates going on in the media about arming teachers with guns. I've kept my voice somewhat quiet when I've heard the general public make statements like, "Teachers get summers off. Why should they get more pay?" I've kept my voice quiet when I've heard generalized statements blaming teachers for the faults in the American education system.
Today, I raise my voice on behalf of educators and students.
I support the freedom to bear arms. There's a gun in our home. I've been trained to handle a gun. I have a concealed weapons permit. I DO NOT SUPPORT ARMING TEACHERS WITH GUNS! Let me repeat, I DO NOT SUPPORT ARMING TEACHERS WITH GUNS! There are other ways to ensure security.
It would be VERY easy for me to make the argument that teachers are underpaid and shouldn't be given the added pressure of carrying a firearm. But, that's too easy. I could also make the argument that most teachers are already on some sort of anti-anxiety and/or anit-depressant medication and the added mental stress would be too much. But, that's too easy. I could make the argument that teachers are nurturers, not militants. But, that's too easy.
I think, as a society, we should get to the root of the matter. Let's start by putting faith and family first in life rather than brands and celebrities. Let's make being a moral and ethical individual important again rather than being selfish and putting ourselves before everyone else. Let's start by sitting down at the dinner table with one another again rather than stuffing our faces with addictive fast food. Let's make reading to children and conversing with them a priority rather than our iPhones and social media pages. Let's hold ourselves and our children accountable for unsavory life decisions rather than blaming others for our faults and wrongdoings. Let's start being kind rather than entitled. Let's start listening to one another rather than arguing about who's "right" and who's "wrong." Let's start by finding solutions rather than creating more problems. Let's start by working to live rather than living to work. Let's start by smiling at a stranger rather than ignoring them. Let's start by valuing education rather than denouncing it. Let's start by celebrating our differences rather than segregating them.
Fear does not induce learning.
We are a country full of fear, and it's bleeding into our schools. We fear our house isn't big enough or nice enough. We fear we don't drive the right car. We fear our clothes aren't in style. We fear our lives aren't Facebook perfect. We fear our children's feelings will get hurt. We fear our own feelings getting hurt. We fear not having control. We fear differences. We fear each other. We, as a country, are not learning. Fear is keeping us from learning and growing. Fear is driving us down a spiraling road to the wrong place.
Fear does not induce learning.
I don't have all the answers or really any at all. What I do know is this: teachers aren't society's miracle workers. And, before you complain about your child's teacher I want you to remember this, they would put THEIR life on the line and die for YOUR child.
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