We're finishing up our first week of school. I have a fresh batch of seventh graders. Ah, seventh graders. I always forget, from year to year, how much training they need at the beginning. I also have last year's batch back, in eighth grade now, with several new kids.
And, like everyone else, I've been watching the horror that is the news.
It's easy to feel caught up in the events of history, and as though there's very little you can do about the awful things going on. But there is one place where I can make a difference, and that's in my classroom. I can't do great things, as Mother Theresa put it, but I can do "small things with great love."
Seven years ago this week, I was back in my classroom for the first time after six months in the States after the Haiti earthquake. I was reveling in the ordinariness of my days. In this post I talked about how those ordinary things are what life is made of, and I shared the song lyrics below. This year this whole concept seems important to me again. Maybe treating my students with love and dignity will help prevent them from growing up into people who perpetuate attitudes like we're seeing in the news. Maybe small things are the most important things I can do right now.
This is the Stuff
by Carolyn Arends
Riding along on a big yellow school bus
Elmer's glue and a brand new lunch box
Writing my name for the very first time
With a pencil that was bigger than me
From jumping rope and skipping school
To doing things that grown-ups do
Life goes by like that big old bus
If you miss it, it's history
Paper dolls and paperweights
Scraped up knees and hearts that break
Dreams to dream and plans to make
Love to give and love to take
This is the stuff
The smallest moments
This is the stuff
I need to notice
This is the stuff life is made of
Walking along as my life unravels
Looking back at the road I've traveled
All the things that matter most
Have caught me by surprise
Misty eyes and silent prayers
Promises and secrets shared
Friends that keep you up all night
Laughing till you cry
Life's made up of little things
Ties that bind and apron strings
New beginnings, old routines
Love and heartache in between...
In my post seven years ago, I included someone's home video that had this song in the background. You can listen to it here.
Here's today's Poetry Friday roundup.
2 hours ago
9 comments:
What a beautiful post. Happy first week of school! I've had my first week of prep. Teachers come next week and kids the week after that. Oh, I love summer so much. I love my job too. It's the transition from one to the other that's kinda bumpy. Like today, I just wanted a nap! But, I continued working on library orientation. I love the lyrics and the beautiful/funny images they conjure. A perfect poem for today.
Do "small things with great love." What a wonderful quote and one that helps me feel that perhaps I can make a difference in the face of "the horror that is the news." Thanks for sharing that and the song lyrics. Best wishes for a fabulous start to the year!
Yes, yes, YES!
"Maybe treating my students with love and dignity will help prevent them from growing up into people who perpetrate attitudes like we're seeing in the news. Maybe small things are the most important things I can do right now."
For sure you can do those small things with great love. And empower others to feel that they too can make a difference by doing the same.
Yes, yes, yes! I do believe that all those small things done with great love will add up and overcome the hate. I no longer have a classroom, but I am looking forward to becoming a Big Sis with the Big Brothers Big SIsters program in our community. One of the neatest parts of the process so far is that the person accepting my application and doing the initial interview and home visit is a former 8th grade student of mine.
I was just thinking of that Mother Teresa quote this morning... thank you for this gorgeous and timely expansion on it. Wishing you and those quirky, precious seventh-graders (& maybe those worldy-wise eighth-graders) a year full of small, miraculous things. :0)
Ruth, Robyn was at my site and mentioned the Mother Theresa quote from your post so I quickly jumped over here because I am still doing my PF rounds...but I can do "small things with great love." Here's to small things and ordinary days. I think you and I were on the same wavelength with ordinary days. The song video is very perky and makes me smile. Thanks for that, Ruth.
Hi Ruth, thanks for sharing this down to earth important poem. I whole heartedly agree, the little things are what's really important, especially in 7th grade. What a rough year it can be, so many changes going on just in their bodies and thoughts–and then to have to deal with the outside world too. Thanks for the lively, moving song and video also. All the best with this new school year!
Beautiful post. I hope those of us trying to do small things with great love will make this world a better, more peaceful and egalitarian place.
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