Yesterday we celebrated another Thanksgiving. Just five days prior I celebrated my 12th wedding anniversary. When I look at how things have changed and rearranged and changed again, I can't help but to be thankful for everything that has happened to me.
When my husband and I first married, we were two struggling grad school students. Within a year we were on our way to our journey in parenthood. Several years later, we added to that journey. In between, we had career changes, lost several family members, witnessed serious illness in close family members, and generally experienced life.
Fast forward several more years. Add in temporary unemployment, a relocation, growing children, and new beginnings.
Enter this year. From frustrations to triumphs, all things have made me realize how fortunate I am and how thankful I should be:
My family is healthy.
My husband and I are both employed.
We have been given a chance to positively impact children outside of our family, church, and my job as a teacher.
My husband has embraced his faith more than ever before and the changes in him have made positive things occur in our household. His faith has impacted my faith and trickled to the children.
We have friends who love us unconditionally, and in turn, we feel the same about them.
There is nothing else I need right now.
I am simply thankful.
Friday, November 26, 2010
Sunday, November 7, 2010
Promises
Promise: a sign that gives reason for expecting success.
I've been thinking about God's promises lately. I have been in this place where I am not sure that I want to continue teaching. Don't get me wrong; I love being with the children and teaching and learning right along with them. I've been doing this for 10 years now.
I'm not sure I want to deal with all of the bureaucratic changes that keep occurring in the field of education. Furthermore, I am looking at my own two children and seeing the effects that some of these changes have had on them. Not that my children are suffering academically, but I feel that they could be challenged more, that they need to be able to explore more, that they need to be able to grow into their own academically. Both of my children are considered to be above grade level, and both of them have been part of gifted enrichment programs at their schools.
But what does that mean, exactly? Working in two different districts, in two different states, has shown me the inconsistency between states regarding children's education. Some of the things I used to teach my students in my former district are considered to be enrichment or even "gifted" in my current district. When I teach my current class, I still teach them from some of the same standards and with some of the same practices I used in my former district. I know my students are learning. But more and more, I see us teachers being pushed to teach to the test, standards checklists for mastery being cut back, new programs that dumb down the curriculum further and further, and adjustments in old programs that aren't helping anyone.
I am concerned for my children's academics.
I have been kicking around the idea of homeschooling my children for several months now. Actually, since last school year when I saw how much my oldest was beginning to struggle. Looking at her curriculum and what she was doing each week just showed more of the same. More test practice, more memorization, less applied thinking for higher-level concepts, and less of a focus on the basics (like learning how to take proper notes).
Did I say I was concerned for my children's academics?
After many discussions with my husband, who agrees with the idea, we decided to pray about it. I really feel that I should be homeschooling my two. During my search for confirmation, I came across the following:
Romans 8:32 "He who did not spare His own Son, but gave Him up for us all--how will He not also, along with Him, graciously give us all things?" (This while reading through a 'mom blog' on Thursday.)
Psalms 37:4 "Delight yourself in the Lord; and He will give you the desires of your heart." (This was in my morning devotional yesterday.)
John 15:7 "If you remain in Me and My words remain in you, ask whatever you wish and it will be given you." (That was in this morning's sermon at church.)
When God tried to make a point, He makes a point! These verses are coupled with my pastor's series of sermons on being open and available to God in everything, including prayer and praise.
My desire to is to be able to work from home so I can homeschool my children and prepare them for their futures with God's guidance and direction. In His grace, that will happen if it is in His will and I stay in His word.
I will stand on His promises.
I've been thinking about God's promises lately. I have been in this place where I am not sure that I want to continue teaching. Don't get me wrong; I love being with the children and teaching and learning right along with them. I've been doing this for 10 years now.
I'm not sure I want to deal with all of the bureaucratic changes that keep occurring in the field of education. Furthermore, I am looking at my own two children and seeing the effects that some of these changes have had on them. Not that my children are suffering academically, but I feel that they could be challenged more, that they need to be able to explore more, that they need to be able to grow into their own academically. Both of my children are considered to be above grade level, and both of them have been part of gifted enrichment programs at their schools.
But what does that mean, exactly? Working in two different districts, in two different states, has shown me the inconsistency between states regarding children's education. Some of the things I used to teach my students in my former district are considered to be enrichment or even "gifted" in my current district. When I teach my current class, I still teach them from some of the same standards and with some of the same practices I used in my former district. I know my students are learning. But more and more, I see us teachers being pushed to teach to the test, standards checklists for mastery being cut back, new programs that dumb down the curriculum further and further, and adjustments in old programs that aren't helping anyone.
I am concerned for my children's academics.
I have been kicking around the idea of homeschooling my children for several months now. Actually, since last school year when I saw how much my oldest was beginning to struggle. Looking at her curriculum and what she was doing each week just showed more of the same. More test practice, more memorization, less applied thinking for higher-level concepts, and less of a focus on the basics (like learning how to take proper notes).
Did I say I was concerned for my children's academics?
After many discussions with my husband, who agrees with the idea, we decided to pray about it. I really feel that I should be homeschooling my two. During my search for confirmation, I came across the following:
Romans 8:32 "He who did not spare His own Son, but gave Him up for us all--how will He not also, along with Him, graciously give us all things?" (This while reading through a 'mom blog' on Thursday.)
Psalms 37:4 "Delight yourself in the Lord; and He will give you the desires of your heart." (This was in my morning devotional yesterday.)
John 15:7 "If you remain in Me and My words remain in you, ask whatever you wish and it will be given you." (That was in this morning's sermon at church.)
When God tried to make a point, He makes a point! These verses are coupled with my pastor's series of sermons on being open and available to God in everything, including prayer and praise.
My desire to is to be able to work from home so I can homeschool my children and prepare them for their futures with God's guidance and direction. In His grace, that will happen if it is in His will and I stay in His word.
I will stand on His promises.
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