With school being in for about two weeks now, I want to share about how it has been. First, I have been shocked daily with how good kids are, how discipline actually works, and how positive a school environment can be. I am at East Jones Elementary School working as a special education assistant. This is one of the most rewarding jobs I have ever done. Each time I sit with a child, I get to challenge them and see them rise to the challenge. There is something in that when you are able to invest in someone and to see a return. My presence has a dual purpose; I am mainly there to educate students, but I am also there to live as an example. You see, alot of kids, no matter what district, do not come from homes that are supportive, loving, or represent Christ well.
I've known this for a long time, but it is really apparent when you get to work and listen to the kids themselves. They have an honesty that is unparalleled, sometimes wonderfully refreshing, sometimes frightfully revealing. There are many Scriptures that deal with children and I must say that the implications for investing in children are huge. Jesus speaks about mistreating and misguiding children and the Proverbs speak about training children up in the knowledge of God.
Society devalues the role of the teacher. I'm a parent and a teacher, and I know that nothing can replace the role of the parent for a child, but when the parent isn't a good model, the child needs someone to look up to. My wife has been teaching for 4 years and the students that remember her best are the ones she used to get onto the most. They needed her motherly way to guide and direct them. She genuinely cares about her students, pushes them to succeed, and corrects them when they step out of line. Some she works on more than others, and those students will remember her forever. Teachers have a huge impact on students and are necessary as societal figures.
This is part of the reason that the issue with the Jones County board of supervisors bothers me so much. Each person that is employed by the district plays a key role; whether it be custodian, bus driver, principal, assistant, counselor, secretary, or regular ed teacher. There are future (fill in the blank) in each and every classroom. Children have the most potential out of anything in this world. They are moldable and teachable. This is why Scripture tells us to, "train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it." If we let them know how important faith in Jesus is, then they will pick up on it to.
I am honored to be doing what I do. If you have children, or if you don't have children, be active in some child's life. They need you desperately to show them a godly example for living.
I recall an old song, "be careful little eyes what you see... be careful little ears what you hear." It's not fair to warn children of the danger of adults. If anything, that song is cautionary for those who spend time in education. A child will absorb alot of what you say and how you feel about things. Even if you aren't in education, you can touch the life of a child. One of my big prayers this year is to make an impact on the students that I have been entrusted with. If that is what I accomplish, then I do believe I have done right. Push beyond a social interaction with students to something more. Show them you care.
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