It is that old familiar back-to-school season… Everyone is anxious in anticipation of a new school year…
The classroom is second only to the home in the important tasks of teaching young people cooperation, developing good moral habits, conveying a sense of responsibility, and instilling a love of learning. Good schools succeed at this and, almost without exception, they have three things in common:
1. caring, well-trained teachers
2. courageous principals who let the teachers teach
3. parents and communities that get invovled with school programs and activities
It’s hard to overestimate the influnce a good teacher has on the development of a child. One friend in education has told me, “Good teachers don’t just teach lessons; they have lessons to teach.” It is those life lessons that children remember for a long time. Our teachers should be rewarded, honored, and cherished, and we need to do all we can to ensure that they have adequate resources and support and are well paid. What does it say about our priorites when the least successful professional athletes make more moeny than our best teachers?
One of my favorite “coffee table” books is H. Jackson Brown, Jr.’s “Wit and Wisdom From the Peanut Butter Gang.” This little book, written in 1994, is a collection of wise words from young hearts. Let me share some favorite school quotes from authors of all ages as they reflect on their school experiences…
“I was a fantastic student until ten, and then my mind began to wander.” ~Grace Paley
“Reading what people write on desks can teach you a lot.” ~Tiffany, Age 13
“The class in school I hate the most is the one I learn the most from.” ~Joanne, Age 10
“The boys’ restroom smells, but the girls’ restroom doesn’t.” ~Devin, Age 10
“All the bad things I’ve head about algebra are true.” ~Erin, Age 14
“If you read a book, it can take you to places you haven’t been before.” ~Lindsay Ellen, Age 10
“You can’t catch a hard baseball in your mouth.” ~Joseph, Age 10
“If you put a frog in a girl’s desk, you’re going to hear some screaming.” ~Nicholas, Age 9
“The kind of world we live in tomorrow depends — not partially — but entirely upon the type and quality of the education of our children today.” ~Martin Vanbee
“Making a good grade on a test you studied really hard for is a glorious feeling.” ~Sarah, Age 12
“When I am working in class and the teacher is looking over my shoulder, I get nervous.” ~Tina, Age 17
“When I try to be nice to my teachers because I think they deserve some respect, my friends always think I’m kissing up.” ~Dawn, Age 14
“If I do my homework on the bus, my mom never believes me.” ~Adam, Age 9
“When teachers get old, like over fifty-five, they’re always in a bad mood.” ~Lindsey, Age 8
“If you do badly on a report card or test that you take home on a Friday, you should wait until Sunday night to ask your parents to sign it.” ~Hannah, Age 14
“When you want to stay home from school, you have to stay in the bathroom a long, long time.” ~Joseph, Age 11
“The greatest teacher is not the one who talks all the time, but the one who listens.” ~Lauren, Age 14
“Teach your children a love of reading and you have given them a most precious gift.” ~Roger Lewin
“Too often we give children answers to remember rather than problems to solve.” ~Roger Lewis
Kids are wiser than we think!