Principal's Pennings
Principal's Pennings
By Mrs. Ann Arndt
25 October
I remember the year “Charcoal” came to live with us. We didn’t plan for him to visit, let alone take up residency. We found this beautiful cat huddled in our window well. Not knowing if he was sick, lost, or what, we fed him and gave him water. Twenty four hours later, he was still there, huddled and somewhat afraid. It was cold, windy, our son felt sorry for him, and brought him inside. We put him in the basement with more food and water. Soon Charcoal learned to adjust to the other animals in the house, and soon began enjoying cuddling up to his new masters, purring all the while. Yes, we tried very hard to find his original “mommy and daddy,” but to no avail!
I’m not sure why God gave us the gift of domestic animals, but I think about it often. Maybe it was only to help us relieve stress as we home to their devotion and nonjudgmental personalities. I also think we can take some lessons from them. When they see us as their masters, they are so devoted to us. They know their food comes from us, they love to spend time with us, and they long to please us. They are loyal and learn quickly to depend on us and our decisions for them.
By Mrs. Ann Arndt
October 18, 2016
Parent/teacher conferences are coming soon. It’s a good time for parents and teachers both, to sharpen their listening skills! Teachers look forward to these conferences. They are eager for them to begin, and by the time they are finished, probably totally exhausted. It’s mentally exhausting to “switch gears” every 20 minutes or so, in order to concentrate 100% on the child at hand.
Teachers take this task of “conferencing” very seriously. They work hard to determine the correct grade, taking into consideration the work finished, ability, participation, etc. They search for the right words to communicate with you honestly and lovingly. They search for the right words to communicate a child’s needs as well as his/her assets. Teachers want you to know that they care for your child in more than a clinical, professional way. They want you to know that the love of Christ is in them, and that love is shared with your child. That’s why they teach in a Lutheran school – they can proclaim that openly!
By Mrs. Ann Arndt
October 4, 2016
I’m in an “appreciate your teacher” mode. I was thinking of their job descriptions, and realize again, that even in the most detailed of job descriptions, many things are not included. Here are a few of the “interesting” tasks that teachers find themselves doing: wiping runny noses, tying shoes, mediating quarrels, checking for head lice, unclogging toilets, putting band aids on bruises, reading notes from satisfied (or unsatisfied) parents, opening stubborn lunch containers, fixing bloody noses, finding lost glasses, diagnosing chicken pox, opening a Christmas present when an over eager child has already told you what it is, looking for lost retainers in the cafeteria trash can, suffering through temperamental copy machines, sharing with children what they bring you (left over snacks, family secrets, OOPS, yes it happens, flu, flowers – sometimes with ants included, knock knock jokes, etc.)
Of course, it also doesn’t list as compensation for a job well done: hugs, smiles, pats on the back, good parent notes, birthday treats, many Christmas gifts, children’s jokes, friendly conversation in the halls, the joy of a “light bulb going on” in the child’s face.
By Mrs. Ann Arndt
Principal’s Pennings
The end of 1st quarter is coming up soon and with that, parent/teacher conferences. Raising children is quite a task, as is educating them. It’s good for parents to be able to communicate with their child’s teacher. It’s good to compare perspectives between teacher and parent. Imagine a group of children in front of an audience. If you are the parent, where does your attention focus? On that ONE child that is yours! You notice everything - how they stand, their facial expression, everything about that ONE child. Your perspective comes from raising that child, taking care of his/her every need. The teacher’s perspective, slightly different! The teacher has to see that child as an individual, and as part of a whole class – a whole class of special children. The teacher feels pride, too; pride for all his/her children. The perspective is obviously different, as the parent focuses on one, the teacher on many.
Life moves on. The teacher walks back into the empty classroom. It’s quiet, the desks are all cleaned out and textbooks fill the shelves. The students have left in a frenzy of excitement and good-byes.
The teacher will see the children again, of course, but it will never be quite the same. Some will be in the same room next year, but in a different grade. Some will move on to the next teacher, and will “belong” to someone else. The teacher will face new children in the room, and the process begins anew. The new charges in the class will bring new challenges and new connections. But, this year is gone.
Every class is different and special. As teachers, we are excited to see the children advancing as God would have them do. But, it’s not without a little tug at the heart on the last day of school. There’s a little prayer for each child as he/she leaves the school ground for summer break. The break is good. The children scatter in all directions for the summer. We pray that teacher and learner never forget the blessings they have brought to each other’s lives. They’ll both come back renewed, rested, and ready to move ahead. Both will return excited about new beginnings.