"If you think you are too small to be effective,
you have never been in bed with a mosquito." (Bette Reese)
you have never been in bed with a mosquito." (Bette Reese)
As we have endeavored upon the superhero theme for our 2013/4 school year, there has been a lot of talk about special powers. Many bulletin boards and other decorations have found their ways to our hallways and classrooms. We've dressed as superheroes, acted like superheroes, and pondered their superpowers.
But we are not superheroes. The bottom line is we should be recognizing real heroes, but that means different things to different people. Are the real heroes the men and women serving in the military? Are the real heroes our police officers, firefighters, and other public servants? Are they the operators of charities? The entrepreneurs who provide jobs? Organ donors? Teachers? Or is it possible that we all have heroic qualities? One does not have to do super things in super ways to be a hero. With courage and perseverance, ordinary people can do extraordinary things. May we always seek to be greater than we are at this moment. The library at Missouri State University is a far cry from the libraries of my youth. In order to pack more volumes into a smaller space, MSU has eliminated the aisles between shelves. Hoggatteers were fascinated by the electronic, push-button system that commands the shelves to move, opening only one aisle in which a person may locate a needed book. In our efforts to get students thinking about college, the fourth grades traveled to Springfield, Missouri, Thursday, for a quick introduction and tour of Missouri State University. MSU ambassadors greeted us and answered a few questions before walking us around campus. Students were immensely interested in what they were seeing - the pool, the gyms, the stadium, the moving library shelves, the fountains, the bowling alley, and more. Do you think you have what it takes to be successful? How many of the following qualities can you find within yourself? Can you acquire more?  After completing the state standardized testing a week earlier, our class joined the others in celebrating. Wednesday's walk and picnic in Cunningham Park was a reward for trying hard, answering everything, and respecting other students who were also testing. "If your uniform isn't dirty,
you haven't been in the game." (Ben Bernanke) Monday was the ribbon cutting ceremony for the opening of Cecil Floyd's new safe room and gymnasium, followed by a cookout. A few Hoggatteers were among the crowd.  Wonder Woman has an amazing pair of bulletproof bracelets and an ability to move them with tremendous speed in order to protect herself from incoming missiles. Regular people do not have these.
Well, no kidding! What are you saying? The point is not that complicated. There are times in life when we cannot shield ourselves from pain and failure. We will get hurt. We will get sick. It's an unfortunate part of life. The solution is in our reaction to such pain. If we get knocked down and stay down, we will never make the kind of progress of which we are capable. On the other hand, if we never allow ourselves to fail, we will probably not ever have a complete picture of reality. I want my students to learn from pain and failure. I want them to learn from their mistakes and the mistakes of others. Let's not pretend that we are bulletproof; some of those bullets hold great teaching potential. We are all different from one another; that's what makes interacting with each other so interesting. And complicated. With the many personalities in the world, life can seem pretty difficult at times. All the nuances of dealing with people who are shy, people who bully others, people with learning disabilities, creative people, etc., make us continually ponder our own places in the world. Should we adapt to be like the people around us, or should we march to the beats of our own drummers? Should we join in or separate ourselves? Take four and a half minutes to watch this video: Now for some questions:
You can't visit the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum in Springfield, Illinois, without realizing the hardships this man encountered. This infographic describes just a few.  "An Arrow can only be shot by pulling it backward.
When life is dragging you back with difficulties, it means it's going to launch you into something great. So just focus, and keep aiming." (unknown) |
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Master Teacher, since 2021
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Retiree, 32 years serving Joplin and Oklahoma City Schools, 2022
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Outstanding Achievement, 2022
Classroom Grant, 2018-2022
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Recognized in Joplin Globe, February 2021
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"The Bus Stops Here" Grant, November 2018
Summer Residency, 2018
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Since 2017
MSTA Media Award, KOAM-TV's
"Manners Matter", Featuring Our Class, May 2017
Third Place, 2016 Film Festival
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Slide Certified, 2012
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