NJHS Induction Speech

I am honored to be here celebrating your success tonight.  As a former faculty sponsor of NJHS, I know how difficult it is to be selected for membership in this prestigious organization.  Tonight’s ceremony is evidence of your success.  Your name in this program is evidence of your hard work.  I say “evidence” of your success because YOU are a success long before you receive the recognition for it.

Every day you show up for school ready to learn, every day you faithfully complete your homework; every day you volunteer for community service, every day you take on additional responsibilities to strengthen your leadership skills, every day you see a need and use what you’ve been given to help meet that need...YOU ARE A SUCCESS!  Just because others don’t recognize your success every day, doesn’t diminish the significance of what you’re accomplishing on your way.  Tonight is your night of recognition.  Your parents, friends, and family members are here to celebrate your faithfulness to the process of succeeding.  I’d like to encourage you tonight to continue that process. 

For the past two years, I’ve been “on leave” from West Valley Middle School and it sure feels great to be back!  I’ve been on a bit of an adventure and I’d briefly like to share with you one of the reasons why I left and something I’ve learned from some pretty amazing 4th graders!

Five years ago, I was give  a huge dream to change the world.  You see, I was teaching 8th grade here at WVMS, but ten years ago, I taught third grade at A.L. Lotts, so I had some of the same kids in my 8th grade class that I’d as 3rd graders five years earlier.  You may be able to relate to this...Do you remember how excited you were to come to school when you were in elementary school?  Do you remember going to Target or Walmart when the new school supply list came out to pick out your stuff?  Do you remember how you could hardly sleep some nights because you couldn’t wait to get to school to participate in some special activity your class had planned?  Remember Fun Day and recess?  Ah yes, the good ol’ days, right?  I used to get my third graders so pumped up about school that they’d be foaming at the mouth by the time they got off the school bus!  Those were the good ol’ days for me too.  

When I started teaching 8th grade and got reacquainted with my former students, I couldn’t believe how much they’d changed.  No longer did they look forward to school with eager anticipation.  Now, it seemed like they just endured it.  Most were successful students like you all, but they had lost their passion for learning.  I tried to figure out why.

Part of the reason for their apathy was due to the fact that many of their teachers were too tired and burned out to bring passion to their classrooms.  Many teachers loved their subject but didn’t much care for their “subjects.”  Some teachers had just lost sight of the reason they chose education as their profession.  I wanted to change that and remind them that the only thing that REALLY matters in their classrooms is their students.  As a result, I started an organization committed to the power of influence that teachers have in the lives of their students.  Now over 1600 teachers come to an event at the Tennessee Theatre to be “inspired” to use their position to positively impact the lives of their students. 

A few years ago, a radio talkshow host was speaking at this event and he put up a picture of a swimming pool on the big screen and he asked the 1700 teachers in the audience, “How do you teach a child to swim?  What’s the one thing you HAVE to do in order to teach someone to swim?” ...Get in there with them!

Well, that got me thinking...What would happen if I “got in there with” the most challenging students in our city?  What would happen if I left this amazing school with incredible kids and supportive parents and went to a place where I could truly make a difference?  Hallerin’s swimming pool speech got me dreaming about not doing what is comfortable, but doing what is right...

But I’m like you...I DO my homework, so I met with the Director of Knox County’s Urban Schools and she shared a story with me that convinced me to “jump into that pool of uncertainty” and pray that water would be in it.  (Share story)

After that, she had me hook, line, and sinker!  EVERY student matters.  EVERY person matters.  Honor Society Inductees, YOU MATTER, and so, as recognized leaders in your school, my challenge to you is to leave this gymnasium tonight committed to the goal of ensuring that everyone in your circle of influence is positively impacted by knowing YOU!  I’d like to close by sharing a story about how powerful our actions can be in the lives of others.

Frog Lesson

A group of frogs was traveling through the woods, and two of them fell into a deep pit.  All the other frogs gathered around the pit.

When they saw how deep the pit was, they told the unfortunate frogs they would never get out.

The two frogs ignored the comments and tried to jump up out of the pit.

The other frogs kept telling them to stop, that they were as good as
dead.

Finally, one of the frogs took heed to what the other frogs were saying and simply gave up.  He fell down and died.

The other frog continued to jump as hard as he could.

Once again, the crowd of frogs yelled at him to stop the pain and
suffering and just die. He jumped even harder and finally made it out.

When he got out, the other frogs asked him, "Why did you continue jumping? Didn't you hear us?" The frog explained to them that he was deaf.  He thought they were encouraging him the entire time.

Two lessons:

1. There is power of life and death in the tongue.  An encouraging word to someone who is down can lift them up and help them make it through the day.

2. A destructive word to someone who is down can be what it takes to kill them.  Be careful of what you say.  Speak life to those who cross your path.

Special is the individual who will take the time to encourage another.  May your words be a blessing to someone today.

Sharing Dreams

Whew!  What a great week!  Still having a hard time processing the fact that I will not be back at Sarah Moore Greene next year.  There have been innumerable moments of greatness in our Locker Room.  I've been allowed to see into the lives of some of Knoxville's most precious, innocent children.  I compare the process of leaving with what happens when two different colored pieces of construction paper are glued together, then pulled apart...a little bit of each piece is left behind on the other.  I know I'll never be the same, I just hope I never forget and I'm afraid that I might.

I had the opportunity to share some of my lessons learned with the WestKnox Kiwanis Club last Tuesday.

Sherry Storms gave me the opportunity to speak at the National Junior Honor Society Induction Ceremony on Thursday evening.

I spoke with Jack Nealy on the phone Friday morning and he challenged me to change grade levels when I return to West Valley in the fall.

I have a lot on my mind, and no time yet to process...

Life GIvers

I had initially titled this post, Life Savers, but then I had a change of heart.  There are people in this world who add to life and those that subtract from it. Then there are those who neither add, nor subtract, they just...exist.  There really is no way to save life, is there?  We are given 529,600 minutes a year - if we don't die.  (Random documentation:  Osama Bin Laden was killed by US Navy Seals last night.  People rejoicing in the streets).  We can't save our 529,600 minutes; we have to spend them.  It is what we spend them on that determines the value of a life. 

Forgive me, as I process this as a write it... We can chose to spend our minutes stockpiling material wealth, but the wisest and richest man who every lived (King Solomon) said that it's all meaningless.  He would know, right?  We can spend those minutes "investing" in others and sharing the love of Christ with them.  But all that happens AFTER we lose our life in surrender to Christ.  In Matthew 16:25 Jesus states, "For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it."  Kinda crazy, losing what we never had to begin with in order to find what we tried to save, but couldn't.  In light of today's experiences, it is starting to make sense to me.  Scary, no?

Jesus Himself said, "But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal (Matthew 6:20)."  God is teaching me by humbling me.  He is making sure that my life is completely dependent on Him.  I do not want to disappoint Him, but I do.  Sadly, I do.  I feel like Paul felt when he wrote the words,  "¹⁸ I know there is nothing good in my sinful nature. I want to do what is good, but I can't. ¹⁹ I don't do the good things I want to do. I keep on doing the evil things I don't want to do. ²⁰ I do what I don't want to do. But I am not really the one who is doing it. It is sin living in me.(Romans 7: 18-20)."  Kind of sounds like something I'd say... a little rambling, kinda confusing, but if you hang in there with it, it starts to makes sense.

Today was a field trip day for the Champions.  Out of my 14 students, only 6 were permitted to attend the year end Behavior Award Trip to the movies.  We went to see Disney's newest "African Cats."  Incredible piece of cinematography and storytelling.  Several moments were blog-worthy, but one of the most insightful comments was made by a little girl whose father is in prison.  There are many children living in her home and DHS has been called on numerous occasions regarding the physical safety of the children.  At one point in the movie, a young lion was faced with ensuring her survival by staying with the pride, or putting herself in harm's way by staying by the side of her weak and dying mother.  The little girl beside me leaned in close and whispered, "I'd stay with my momma!" Really?  REALLY?  In spite of all she's been through, Momma still wins.

Another heart-breaker moment.  I was leaving school and noticed a little girl holding open the door to the outside, holding her eye and crying.  Another staff member spoke to her, then went through the door.  When I realized she was crying, I had to ask her about it.  I said, "What's the matter, Honey?"  No answer.  "Are you okay?"  Again, no answer.  "Are you hurt?"  I gently pulled her hand away from her eye and noticed a big, red mark on her forehead.  "What happened?"  "My momma hit me..."  "Where's your momma?"  "Over there."  When I looked toward the parking lot, I noticed a large woman with her back to me walking toward her van.  I decided to try to defuse the situation by speaking to her momma in a non-confrontational way.  I made an innocuous comment about the warm weather and headed to the safety of my car, still at a loss for the appropriate action to take.  I'm STILL at a loss... I will pray for this little girl.  If you're reading this, will you pray for her too?  I don't even know her name, but God does.

My "Life Givers" today were Jackie, Mom, Chelcie, LeeAnn, Windy, Desiree, Tee, Summer, and Kelley.  Tomorrow, I will look for moments to give life to those who cross my path!  

Yeah, It WAS that BAD!

Update time yet again!  Someday I hope to have moments of downtime to reflect and process so that my writing  will have some sort of common thread throughout, but for now, I write for the purpose of documentation purposes.  Here's a synopsis:

Last week we had some wild and crazy weather - Monday, a HUGE storm pounded us, but hit UT campus particularly hard.  Musta just been a warm-up, because last Wednesday brought national news making tornadoes and severe thunderstorms unlike any I've ever seen!  The kids did absolutely great through it all.  I was particularly concerned about Sam because he's been terrified of storms since he was a little boy.  Warnings were abundant throughout the entire day.  The superintendent made an announcement that "No teacher was permitted to leave the school and students would not be dismissed from the building in the event of inclement weather."  This sent the teachers into a near panic attack - "They can't force us to stay here!"  "I live in another county!"  "I've got kids too!" "I have to let my dogs out!"  ...Not exactly the calming effect we needed under such circumstances.  As it turned out, students were dismissed on time and no one was required to stay beyond the contract day.  Another morale blow however was that one minute prior to the end of contract time, the principal made an announcement "per the superintendent that all teachers in the building must send an email confirming that we didn't leave early."  Not exactly a "warm fuzzy" for some already aggravated teachers and staff. 

I headed home amid radio warnings of eminent severe weather.  By the time I got to Papermill, a tornado warning was issued.  I called Chelcie and insisted she get home immediately.  She headed to the UT library to "study."  I really, really wanted her home with us, but she's an adult now so I have to let her make her own decisions. 

We had heavy rain and powerful wind, but nothing compared to the hype...until about 8:00.  Once Addie and Sam were tucked soundly in bed, the hail started, mildly at first, but increasing dramatically until it literally sounded as if angels were pelting our house with baseballs!  Power went out about 8:15, but was back on about 10.  We all retreated to the basement and I kept in close contact with Chelcie via cell phone.  We got hit with three pretty intense rounds of rain, hail, lightning, thunder, and wind.   Thousands of people had roof damage.  Many lost windshields, and cars were dented all over so they resembled golf balls!  It was a wild and crazy night to be sure, but we were all dry, safe, and together.  None of us cared about the cars and still don't.  So what if they're dented? 

A Little Spring Storm

As I was sitting on my back porch blogging away, a little spring storm crept up on me...

I love storms.  The kids were at soccer, and Tom was at work, so I was looking rather foolish giggling and grinning and grabbing my camera, but it was worth it.  Now I have my little storm preserved here for my enjoyment anytime I need a little clean up. 

I'm Full!

John 10:10 (New International Version: The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.

"...I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full."  To the full.  My life is full.  My days are full.  My tummy is full.  My mind is full.  My momma didn't raise no full.  Wait.  That doesn't fit.  My point is, though, that God has blessed my life so abundantly that it is so full I struggle to document the journey here in my little lion-chasing blog.

 Too many subjects compete for top billing.  Too many thoughts need to make their way to my blog canvas for clarity.  Once again, I'll seek to update with the hopes of adding clarity and depth at a later date.

Today is the Monday after Easter, 2011.  This Easter proved to be one of the most spiritual, God-focused holidays of my life for several reasons.  First, Chelcie, Tom, and I had the opportunity to attend Secret Church, a six-hour intense Bible study simulcast by David Blatt.  For now, let me just tell you that the time passed quickly as Chelcie and I frantically struggled to keep up with our note-taking.  MUCH to process!  I've spent about 3 hours de-briefing and I'm only about 1/4 of the way through my notes!  

Another reason that this Easter was special is because our internet was down.  No computer time while Chelcie and Drew were home.  We had our family together.  Just our family.  It was a rare and beautiful thing to be with those I love most in this life.  

My family.  My mom and dad.  My sisters.  My children.  My husband.  These are my people.  These who have chosen to love me and accept me as I am.  These are the people I choose to love as well.   How sad to never know the love of an earthly family.  How blessed I am to have a flawed, yet perfect one.  I asked God why He blessed me so much and He revealed to me that He pours His blessing out in my life so that He will draw me to Him. 

Church has taken on a new meaning for me.  It's not about finding a place to be seen, entertained, or even taught.  Church is a place to be the hands and "feet" of Jesus.  It's a place to grow and serve.  Church is a place to find spiritual food and refreshment for a thirsty soul.  Scott's sermon to a packed house on Easter Sunday morning was about feet.  In particular, the feet of Jesus.  The baby feet on which his mother, Mary, counted his ten little toes.  The feet that a precocious 12 year old walked into the temple to amaze and astound the rabbis and teachers there.  The feet that were pierced by nails and hung on the rugged, Roman cross as a atonement for the sin of mankind.  The feet the ascended into Heaven and will return again to claim His own.  His feet.  His beautiful, holy feet.  Contrast His feet with mine and I am ashamed.  My feet are calloused and ugly.  They are my least attractive feature.  The part of me of which I am most embarrassed and afraid that will repulse people.  My feet.  My sin.  His feet.  His love.  Oh God, I am so grateful, so unworthy, and so ashamed of my sin!  How could you do it?  How could you send Your precious, perfect, Holy Son to save me?   

Finishing Strong!

It's finally Friday and we're ready for the weekend.  I've been introspective lately as I begin the process of "disengaging" from SMG.  I'm also trying to "engage" myself in the mindset of a middle school teacher again.  Before I abandon my "Champions" and my cozy, little Locker Room, I want to reflect on the lessons I've learned here - the things that I will take with me as I move back into my "comfort zone."  Bear with me as I type out my thoughts...

I never expected to care this much about other people's children.  I never expected the depth of despair and frustration I feel toward to process of "changing" the circumstances in the inner city.  The problems run deep and strong.  The walls of defensiveness  are thick.  Bringing change here must involve the entire community.  I believe I have made progress with several of my students, but I think most of them will revert back to what their environment requires of them - to fight, to be tough, to be funny.  Academic skills are not highly valued in general in their communities.  It's about being "cool."

One of my students told me yesterday that his big sister is dating a member of the "Bloods" gang.  Incredible that I am no longer shocked by the things I hear.  Something that HAS surprised me however, is how captivated they have been with the literature I've shared with them.  We've read about 15 novels together this year, but their favorites have been "The Watsons Go To Birmingham" and "Bud, Not Buddy."  I think they can truly relate to the families and characters in these books.  Just yesterday, I shared a story about a young girl who escaped from a gang.  They were enthralled.  They understood.  They've seen and heard so much more than their impressionable minds are capable of processing.  This concerns me greatly.  My children have lost their innocence and it's damaging more than just them.  It's a societal problem.  They struggle with empathy and personal choice.  When caught in the act of misconduct, it's "but HE was doing it too!"  The illusion of fairness is important for respect to be earned.  External controls dominate our school.  This has been a major concern since I arrived here.  How and when will my children learn about personal choice and SELF control if not in our school?