Perspectives

The events of last Friday are fresh in our minds and the horror of it all is not lost on this teacher. First graders and their teachers lost their lives in the murderous rage of a mentally ill young man. It's frightening for all of us. It's frightening because it drives home the fact that safety is in some respects a fleeting illusion.

Make no mistake--we do the best we can at FBS to ensure the safety of our children and our staff. Our doors are always locked and to gain entrance to the building requires a key or someone in the office granting admittance remotely. Is that fail safe? No, but it makes us all feel a bit safer. Make no mistake--the teachers and staff at FBS, like educators everywhere, love our students and would give our lives to protect and preserve theirs.

What can we do? Well, for starters we can be thankful at this Christmas season that God sent His Son to earth. We can be thankful and full of awe that God sacrificed that Son so that we might have eternal life in Him. We can and we should pray for the families of those who lost loved ones, including the family of the shooter.

We can also focus in on mental illness and not sweep it under the rug. It's a very real issue in our society and not one that we like to discuss. It suggests weakness. It suggests that parents or others have done something wrong. The truth of the matter is that mental illness is just that--an illness. Instead of a sore throat or a fever or chronic pain or whatever the person has an illness in his/her mind. We should be supportive of people and families who deal with this on a daily basis. We should pray for them and encourage them to seek the professional care that is needed.

As we close out this year and look back on the year that was, we see many signs of evil in our world. But we also see many evidences of the love of God and His mercy and grace. As we face a new year, let's focus on the positives and what we can do to make our world a better place to live. And let's pray without ceasing.

A Day of Remembrance

December 7, 1941-- "a date which shall live in infamy". That was 71 years ago! But it was indeed a date that has lived on in the memories of those who were there and in the minds of those of us who have merely heard and read about it. Just as some of us recall where we were the day the JFK was shot, or when the Challenger space shuttle came crashing down, or the events of September 11, 2001. The lives of an entire generation were changed on that day. Indeed, the world as it was known was changed on that day. What arose out of the ashes of Pearl Harbor was what has come to be known as "the Greatest Generation". Those are people who sacrificed their youth and sometimes their lives to ensure that the American way of life endured.

My junior high students and I had the privilege of hearing Mr. Horace Hamilton speak. Mr. Hamilton was a 17 year old Navy gunner's mate stationed aboard the U.S.S. Phoenix. He witnessed the Japanese attack. He fought to protect his ship, his friends, his way of life, his country. He gave over 4 years of his youth to the service and defense of our nation. Thank you, Mr. Hamilton. Thank you for sharing your experiences with my students and others. God bless you and God bless America.

A Week of History in the Making

Exactly one week ago this evening, our entire nation anticipated the results of the election on November 6. And those results came fairly quickly on the evening of the election. We have elected an incumbent President to a second term. There are those who are ecstatic over the results and others who feel a bittersweet disappointment in the choice of our nation. Regardless of which 'camp' you were in, we should pray daily for our President, our other elected officials, and all who hold jobs of strategic importance. We should remember that we are all Americans and that we love our country. The fact that we might see things differently from someone else is the exact thing that has made us strong. We have the freedom to do so and the Constitutional guarantee to say so!

We honored our nation's veterans yesterday. What began as Armistice day in World War I has come to be a day to honor all vets--those living and those who have left this earth. My dad served in the U.S. Navy during World War II and in the Korean Conflict. My older sister, Denise, spent 27 years in the U.S. Air Force. Among other things, she was a part of the evacuation of Saigon. I am proud of their service. The World War II vets are called The Greatest Generation and that is an apt description. But any man or woman who chooses to serve should be considered among the greatest! If you see a veteran, say thank you!! If you see a veteran's family, say thank you!! They have sacrificed, too.

Thanksgiving and Christmas are fast approaching and it is my wish that each of you will be blessed beyond measure and that your holidays will be safe.

God bless you. And God bless our great country.

Photos

First and Second grades went on a field trip to Birch Creek Park recently. Ranger Kyle T. took us on a nature walk and the students were able to see animal tracks, a couple of birds, and enjoyed some time walking along the shore of Lake Somerville. The day was beautiful and we all had a great time.

It's not often that First Grade gets extra recess but every now and then it happens. When it does, we all enjoy being outside for a few minutes of running and playing a being free!

First Grade talked about the first Thanksgiving and we got to try a cornmeal dish that might have been on the table of those early celebrations. All of the students tried it, some liked it (a couple of them LOVED it!), and some didn't.

Enjoy some photos from our recent adventures in education!!

Who Knew?

The junior high students, along with Mrs. Perry and I, and two moms went to the Gault Archaelogical Site near Salado today. It was an awesome adventure! It was tiring as we were on our feet and moving for about 3 hours. But we saw and learned some amazing things about the Native Americans who inhabited our land long before the white man ever set foot on it. Who knew that there is a mammoth 'kill site' less than 100 miles from Caldwell? Or that it's one of only 14 in North America? Who knew that archaelogists uncovered the foundation of what they believe to be the oldest permanent structure in North America less than 100 miles from Caldwell? I could go on and on but the fact is we visited an historically 'alive' site.
I'm very proud of my students. They behaved as ladies and gentlemen, didn't complain about the long walk or the hunger pangs that we stabbing all of us, and were just generally great kids!!

Thanks to the moms who went with us. It's always good to have them along.

Encouragement

Students from first through eighth grade attended the Rachel's Challenge event at CHS a while back. That event encourages students to be positive influences to their peers. It was excellent and I'm glad that my students had the opportunity to attend.

One thing I am very proud of this year is how my students (first grade and junior high) encourage each other. They are excited when someone does well on a speed drill or a test and they say so. Sometimes in first grade there is clapping and cheering to go along with a 'well done'. Those kids are doing exactly what Rachel's Challenge encourages them to do!

I coach Maps, Graphs, and Charts for PSIA. Today I watched as two 'veterans' gave some time and coaching and encouragement to a student who is new to the competition. They were patient and kind and encouraging and I appreciate their willingness to share their expertise with others.

I watch our kids in chapel and other places as they help with the younger kids or console someone who is having a rough day. Not only are they living Rachel's Challenge, they are living the Golden Rule. They are an inspiration to me!

I'll be honest and say that I occasionally have bad days. Maybe I'm tired or a bit down and I can be a grouchy teacher but there is always a child or two or three who do something to lift me out of the doldrums of the day and make me appreciate once more the school where I teach, the people I work with, the students who come through my classes, and above all the God we all serve.

Fair Week

Our county fair is this week. We will be taking Thursday and Friday off school so that students who are showing animals or entering items will have the time to take care of their responsibilities without having to be concerned about school work. My hat is off to those students. They work hard, often before and after school, to prepare for the fair.

First grade made a Cowboy today as an art project. Enjoy the photos of the students at work as well as the finished product.

Field Trip

Twas a warm and muggy day in the pine forest of east Texas but our junior high students, two teachers, and three parents had a wonderful time visiting Caddo Mounds near Alto and Mission Tejas near Weches. Thanks to Mrs. Perry for driving and to the moms who went along. Our students were awesome!!

First Grade Field Trip

First Grade went on the first field trip of the school year on Wednesday, September 19. We had a kitchen tour of Blue Baker in College Station. The students got to make their own loaf of bread and had a yummy lunch in the restaurant. From there, we went to Bee Creek Park for some play time. The weather was picture perfect and a good time was had by all. Our last stop was the Brazos Valley Museum and a program by Ms. Maria in the Discovery Room. She showed the students several animals and also allowed them some time to look at the various exhibits on their own. It was a VERY good day!

I appreciate Mrs. Pipes for being our bus driver and I thank the moms and grandmothers who took time from their day to accompany us.

The Sound of Silence

I walked out to my front yard in the wee hours of this morning with a dog that needed out. I was greeted by a beautiful starry sky, pleasant temperature, and the sound of a train passing through. Not one of those is anything I consider out of the ordinary.

I've lived in this town for over 30 years and trains have always been a part of the fabric of life around here. Two major railroad companies maintain lines and there is not one place in this town where a train cannot be heard, or in some cases felt. I find that I give the trains little mind. My house is a mere two blocks from the tracks but unless the train is very heavy or has an unusual sounding whistle its passage is largely unnoticed. I just don't give the trains much thought! Nor do I give much thought to the occasional sound of a truck from the highway or the small planes that fly overhead as they approach our  airport.

September 11, 2001, another of those 'dates that shall live in infamy', changed the sounds of our town, of our state, of our country. For on that date, all rail and air transportation was halted for a few days as our nation tried to cope with the senseless acts that took so many lives and shattered our sense of safety and well being.

The sound of silence was deafening.

Spelling

If you read my previous post and paid careful attention you should have noticed that I misspelled friendship. Honest--I know how to spell the word. It's just that I type very, very fast and sometimes my fingers get ahead of my brain--or something like that!

I find that I often make mistakes in spelling or syntax because I am going too fast. I need to slow down. I need to slow down in other areas, too or at least I think I do. It seems that I sometimes miss important things because I am in a hurry.

I'm going to slow down and spell check from now on--or at least that is the plan for now. I'm glad that God forgives us when we go too fast to appreciate His world and the messages He has for us.

Have a wonderful week!

Rearranging

I rearranged my classroom desks yesterday. I usually do this after a few days of school when I figure out who needs to sit where and why! Sometimes it works and sometimes it requires tweaking at a later time. Some children find friends no matter where they sit!!

I gave the idea of 'rearranging' some thought and realized that we are constantly rearranging something. It might be in our personal life or in our job or in our Christian walk but unless we are willing to change every now and then we are going to hit some hard bumps in the road.

I've been a part of FBS since 1981 and until we moved into our new building we rearranged on a weekly basis. We shared our space with Sunday School and there was always someone who was moving desks on Friday and then again on Monday. And it worked! I think it helped us understand the concept of shared ministry.

We still share some of our space but we aren't doing the constant shuffling that characterized all those years of being in the church building itself. I'm glad for that but then again a part of me misses seeing the Sunday School materials sharing space with my teaching materials on the shelves and I miss the satisfaction of having room decorations and wall decor that I knew would please the Sunday School crowd. I sometimes miss being in the church building. It was a great place to be.

I've had to rearrange my thinking with regard to working with Mrs. Pipes. Don't get me wrong---I enjoy working with Mrs. Pipes. She is doing a FINE job of leading FBS. She's got energy and enthusiasm and she is all for her staff and her students. I  really appreciate her. But----I worked with Mrs. Hadley for many years. Not only did we have a work relationship, we had a frienship. And I used to tell her that the day she decided to leave FBS was the day before I would decide to leave FBS. Little did I know that when she made the decision, the 'Message' I received was loud and clear--I was not to leave. I'm SO glad I didn't. I've had to rearrange some things but I can tell you that I enjoy working with my administrator.

I'm so glad that God occasionally rearranges my thinking so that I see things from His perspective instead of mine.

May He bless you and keep you. Be open to rearranging.

Field Trip!!

One of the things I enjoy most about my days at FBS is that I am 'allowed' to be the junior high history teacher! What a treat!! I love, love, love my first graders but getting to spend an hour per day with our junior high students just makes my day even brighter. They are intelligent, inquisitive, and all around ladies and gentlemen. I find that I can address them on a grown up level and it's great!!

We walked to the Burleson County Courthouse today and visited with Ms. Paula Bartnesky, the voting administrator for Burleson County. She talked to the students about voting procedures and let them all experience the voting machine that is used in Burleson County. She was engaging and informative and I feel my students learned something. I know I did!!

Whether you are a Democrat or a Republican or an Independent--whatever--I encourage you to exercise your right to vote come November. Our country will elect a new President as well as fill other important offices. I find myself getting weary of the nasty ads I see on television and in the print media and wonder just how it is that we have gone so far as to get to this. But then I go back and read my history and find that politics have been divisive since about 1776!! Really. If you don't believe me, go read! Oh, my!! But for the last 200+ years we have been the greatest nation on the face of this earth precisely because we have the right to express our opinions freely and because we have the right to vote our conscience. Our Constitution guarantees it!!

I'll be doing an election unit with my junior high students before the election. I had a college professor named Colonel Russell Fudge who I admired greatly. Col. Fudge used to tell us that he never wanted us to know his political affiliation or how he intended to vote in any given election. That is my goal--to have my students gather information, decide for themselves, and vote in our mock election at school. I do not want my political philosophy to be a factor in their decision making--or yours, for that matter!

Thanks Ms. Bartnesky for a great presentation! Thanks junior high students for being ladies and gentlemen and people I will take on field trips anywhere!! Thanks Susan B. for accompanying us. It's always nice to have a parent along.

Peer Instruction

We at FBS are all housed in the same building. While it sometimes creates a few traffic challenges in the halls I think that overall it's a good thing. Our younger students see our older students up close and personal and  our older students set very good examples.

Mrs. P brought seventh grade students to first grade yesterday to instruct my students in the rules for Science lab safety. These students did an excellent job! They were well prepared, they held the interest of my students, and now they are heroes in the eyes of some little people. Good job!!

Parents

Parenting is a hard job and it doesn't come with instructions! It does come with sleepless nights, worry, tears, fears, and joys galore! I know this. I am a parent! My three children are all adults with homes and lives and families all their own. I hope that some of the parenting decisions their dad and I made haven't left them scarred for life!! If they were, we are sorry. We loved (and still love) our children, we did the best we could, prayed a lot, and hoped for the best. We are proud of the people our children have grown to be.

I am thankful for BOTH sets of my parents. I'm thankful that my birth parents chose to give me life. The 'alternative' wasn't legal back in 'the day' but it was available. I'm truly, truly thankful for Mom and Dad who took me as an infant and loved and nurtured me through childhood and the teen years and into adulthood. My dad was in an horrific car crash just before I turned 3 years old. He was riding in a car pool to work with four other men and they crashed head on into another vehicle early one foggy morning. He was lucky. He lived--one of just three people that did. But he was left a paraplegic. His legs were paralyzed. However, his mind and his spirit were anything but paralyzed. I'm not sure my daddy ever heard the phrase 'if life gives you lemons, make lemonade' but that is exactly what he did. He got on with his life. He did many things the experts said he would never do! He was a good husband and a great dad. My dad has been gone for just over a year now. I miss him. My mom, at 80 years old (or young!), still lives independently in the house where I grew up. She is a wise woman whose counsel I regularly seek. Now, I'll be honest and tell you that it took a few years (maybe a decade or two!) for me to truly appreciate her wisdom but I do. I'm so glad I can speak to her each and every day.

I'm thankful for the parents of my students. You have chosen to have your child educated in a Christian school. You are sacrificing to make that a reality. It's important to you.  I thank you for the hours you spend with your child preparing for school the next day. I thank you for involving yourself in your child's extra curriculur activities. You are investing in your child. You are investing in OUR future.

Pictures!!

First Day of School

I'm about to leave my house for the halls of First Baptist School. This is the thirty-first first day of school for me! I've never had a decent night's sleep on the night before and last night was no different. I simply couldn't shut my mind off. Is everything ready? How are the students going to be? It's all anticipation and I'm looking forward to getting the first day done so I can call it history. And get a good night's sleep!!

I am thankful for the years I've spent in the halls of FBS. I'm thankful for the children I've been privileged to teach and the parents I've been privileged to meet. I love the fine women with whom I work and I am so thankful that my calling has been to work in Christian education.

Let's have a wonderful year!!

Final Friday

This is the final Friday of the summer! School officially begins at FBS next Wednesday. Our faculty and staff and especially Mrs. Pipes and Mrs. Becky have been working diligently to insure that everything is ready for those bright and shining faces that will appear next week! If you see Mrs. Pipes and/or Mrs. Becky and can get either of them to stop for a moment, please say thank you! They do MUCH behind the scenes that enable us as teachers to do our job efficiently and well. I appreciate them more than they will ever know.

Another unsung hero of FBS is Mrs. Zelda Ayers. She works hard each and every day to keep our building clean and environmentally safe for all of us--staff, students, and visitors! It was so nice to walk into my classroom last week and find that the surfaces were dusted and everything was neat and tidy.

We finished our mandatory days of work yesterday. We've had staff training (including CPR and First Aid) and visited with each other and readied our rooms. And now we wait--just as our students wait.

Be sure to check this blog regularly during the school year. I will post photos of field trips and other special events. It's a good place to see what is going on at FBS!

I'm looking forward to getting to know my first graders and excited about teaching Texas History to my junior high students! It's going to be a great year!!!

Almost Time!

School starts back in less than two weeks. Am I ready? No, I'm not. But I will be. This is the time of year when I am working in my classroom and planning for the year and wondering just what the next 10 months holds in store. There will be some new faces in my classes, a schedule that is a bit different from last year's, and other things that I just don't know about yet. It's a time of excitement for me.

I will be teaching First Grade as well as Texas History. If you are a parent and reading this, please know that you can contact me at the school anytime. I will be setting up an email group for each class as soon as I have email addresses for all of you.

I feel blessed to teach at First Baptist School. I look forward to making new friends. Please keep all of us in your prayers as we embark upon another year of adventure in education.

Springtime in Texas

I love spring in Texas! Our great state has an abundance of wildflowers each spring. One of my great joys is to drive down the highways and see the palette of color that is the highway right of ways and the fields. To me--there is nothing more beautiful in all of God's creation! Unless it's a rainbow! My husband and I were traveling back home from west Texas on Sunday evening and were treated to the sight of a double rainbow. Easter Sunday and a rainbow--it doesn't get much better!! We celebrated the risen Savior and saw the evidence of God's promises in that spectacular rainbow.

I'm thankful at Easter time--thankful that Jesus laid down His life for me, thankful for the new life that each spring brings, and this year I'm especially thankful for the rain that has fallen. God is good all the time and all the time God is good.

As we come to the close of this school year, I look back and count the blessings that have come my way. Those blessings include a wonderful family and the new grandson that has joined our number, great students, magnificent co-workers, and supportive prayerful parents. I am truly, truly thankful for all the blessings that are mine.

Texas History!!

Mrs. Beran and I took third and fourth grade students to Washington on the Brazos today. We spent some time at the Star of the Republic Museum and at the Barrington Living History Farm. I have to say a huge thank you to the folks at the farm. We did not have enough students to constitute a 'tour group' but they weren't busy and voluntarily gave our kids their time and shared their expertise. It was a great day to be at the farm! I hope the students enjoyed the day. I know I did. I always learn something when I go there.

Pictures, Pictures, Pictures