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The Carozza Homestead in the midst of snow-blowing a foot of snow
Today is a snow day. The Valentine’s Parties have to put be put off until Monday.
Valentine’s Day, like Thanksgiving, is one of those holidays that is nearly perfect. It’s free from the controversy of religious holidays, it doesn’t celebrate an historical figure who may not be universally respected, and it gives each of us a chance to care for one another. It can be overdone through overspending or reliance on material gifts, but generally…who doesn’t like love?
I see lots of love every day in my school. We don’t always call it that, afraid of entering into the creepy zone, but I’m in favor of using that word more often. I tell my New England College students that to be an effective teacher you really need to love your students. It’s not enough to be nice. Somewhere in the semantics we must cross over to realize that love is not an emotion or a feeling – love is a verb.
It is a balance of course. I’ve seen teachers become too attached to students and forget the line that is hard to define but mostly understood. But this is the exception.
The current mission of our District is Above All, Care. These three words, written and promoted by our Superintendent, is clear (in my words-not the District) that to truly meet this mission we must care enough to:
- Hold students accountable for their actions, behaviorally and academically, for to do otherwise is not caring.
- Educate the whole child and realize that each student comes to us with a variety of strengths, weaknesses, genetics, and experiences.
- Listen to each child’s story and be willing to give them the gift of time.
This is also the spirit of Valentine’s Day.
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
Image may be NSFW.Clik here to view.
