Tilling the Ground in Education
Last week I started a discussion as an outgrowth of having discovered a hidden garden in downtown Vicksburg. In the blog entry, I described the joy of finding somewhere that someone was doing something productive in an unexpected way; using abandoned or unaccounted for resources as a way to bring something good into the world.
And I asked for more examples. Almost as soon as I hit "Publish," I received an email response from Sutton Ruiz, a good friend of mine from New Orleans:
Teachers who take students with learning differences or emotional issues and help them thrive!
Yes. That is exactly what I am talking about.
I followed up with Sutton, because she is right. There is something amazing about education in general. But the act of finding a child who is challenging, and cultivating them to success, well that borders on the mystical. Those educators - the teachers like Sutton - who do that kind of careful work don't always see the benefits of their work. Often they work on fertilizing plants that are difficult; the ones that have nettles or thorns. The work they do, though, is such important work, and it is work that is all too often unseen.
This morning, I want to sing the praises of the teacher. All teachers, but especially those who choose to make a difference with students with emotional issues or learning differences.
Sutton wrote me the following, as an example of a success story where teachers made a difference.
I particularly love the presence of so many 'urban gardeners' in the story. It boggles the mind. The church who welcomed him. The family who saw a child in need, and moved to fill that need. The school who found a place for him and brought him in. The teachers that did more than just teaching - they nourished. The gumption of the boy himself. Every last one of the people involved deserves the TUG title: true urban gardener.
How long could you do your work with no idea that you were succeeding? At what point do you give it up as a Sisyphean task, and choose to do something instead where you get positive feedback? (Fellow burrocrats need not answer. I know your reply).
In all seriousness. At what point do you give up on Jim?
Today, I scream out a primal yell on behalf of those who take that chance - who invest in people like Jim McCord, and do so without reward or recognition, or even any assurance that the final impacts will be seen.
Teachers.
onse:❤️
And I asked for more examples. Almost as soon as I hit "Publish," I received an email response from Sutton Ruiz, a good friend of mine from New Orleans:
Teachers who take students with learning differences or emotional issues and help them thrive!
Yes. That is exactly what I am talking about.
I followed up with Sutton, because she is right. There is something amazing about education in general. But the act of finding a child who is challenging, and cultivating them to success, well that borders on the mystical. Those educators - the teachers like Sutton - who do that kind of careful work don't always see the benefits of their work. Often they work on fertilizing plants that are difficult; the ones that have nettles or thorns. The work they do, though, is such important work, and it is work that is all too often unseen.
This morning, I want to sing the praises of the teacher. All teachers, but especially those who choose to make a difference with students with emotional issues or learning differences.
Sutton wrote me the following, as an example of a success story where teachers made a difference.
I think the best teacher story for you is the one of Jim McCord (not his real name). He began showing up at Trinity church but was not their typical member. He was from the Trinity area, but from a dysfunctional African American family who did not support him. He managed to find solace in the church and became somewhat "adopted" by a Trinity family. I believe he was about 12 years old when this happened. The family quickly realized that Jim was very bright and personable but didn't know how to read. They knew about St. George's and had the means to pay tuition plus extra tutoring.
St. George's agreed to set up a special arrangement for Jim and he became part of the 7th grade class with lots of one-on-one tutoring by a top resource teacher. He fit in socially right away and became a much beloved student for the two years he was with us. He moved on to De La Salle and graduated in four years. He went to Nicholl's Sate for undergrad, but ended up at Swanee for his Doctorate of Theology and is now an ordained minister! He was at Grace St. Luke's in Memphis, but I think he is living in New York now. His FB page says he works at Order of the Holy Cross.
He is one amazing man! So glad St. G's gave him the tools he needed to thrive academically as well as the amazing family who adopted him.I read that and asked myself, If I had been there, how would I have fit into that story? Would I see someone in my church and bring him home? Or would I pass the peace, pass the plate and pass out the back, headed for Sunday brunch?
I particularly love the presence of so many 'urban gardeners' in the story. It boggles the mind. The church who welcomed him. The family who saw a child in need, and moved to fill that need. The school who found a place for him and brought him in. The teachers that did more than just teaching - they nourished. The gumption of the boy himself. Every last one of the people involved deserves the TUG title: true urban gardener.
How long could you do your work with no idea that you were succeeding? At what point do you give it up as a Sisyphean task, and choose to do something instead where you get positive feedback? (Fellow burrocrats need not answer. I know your reply).
In all seriousness. At what point do you give up on Jim?
Today, I scream out a primal yell on behalf of those who take that chance - who invest in people like Jim McCord, and do so without reward or recognition, or even any assurance that the final impacts will be seen.
Teachers.
onse:❤️
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