Loving Oneself is a Tricky Thing

Loving oneself is a tricky thing. I believe it's best to start with all the little ways to love oneself and build on them. For example, if you are confused or worried or anxious about the future, it's best to just focus on today, day by day, and let the future unfold. The little things we do for ourselves every day make us stronger and prepare us for the unexpected. For example, if you develop good daily habits, such as eating healthy, getting a good night sleep, keeping your space orderly, hang out with like minded friends, read books that benefit you, keep close to the ones you love, schedule your homework in time to get it done without stressing out, then you are grounded in the moment, in the day and eventually, in the future. Once you become grounded, you feel secure in yourself, no matter what happens around you. Loving yourself is being yourself. Being yourself is the toughie. Friends and family can appear to bring a lot of stress into the equation of "your self". When you want to change your ways, or your direction in life, most everyone you know will question you, doubt you, or even be disappointed with your decisions. It's not easy, sometimes you lose friendships along the path. The question is whose path are you on? Your path, or their path? When you chose your path, people who love you will respect you. Others will feel betrayed, even left behind. That is their choice. Remember everyone has expectations...everyone is going to be disappointed when those expectations are not met. We all have to grow beyond what we expect, work hard/smart for what we want and what we believe in. We must allow our expectations to disperse into new possibilities, creating a future that is unknown and undetermined.

Karen

Teachers are naturally held to the higher standards of their teachings.

We naturally expect our teachers to embody what they teach us.
What good is a teacher who has only "read" and "discussed" the subject before us?
If this was enough to be "the teacher", then sixth graders should be qualified to teach third graders.
What qualifies an individual to be a teacher?
We learn from each other in all our interactions, everyday.  In essence, we are all "teachers"
Someone could teach you something that will change you and your life, with their eyes, an acknowledgment, a smile, a passionate glance.
A spiritual connection can penetrate and awaken your heart and you will never be the same.

Setting out to be a teacher or teach can lead to a variety of experiences.  The reality is, if you choose to go to college, pass your classes, even with below average grades, you can get a dipolma to "teach". Then, this individual has the ability to have a as much of an affect, and in some cases more of an affect, than you have on your children.

What do you really know about your childs teacher?
It's time for a parent teacher revolution.


The public should have access to every teachers:
1.   Education and college records.
2.   Organizations
3.   Community service records
4.   Volunteer records
5.   Personal mission statement
6.   Future aspirations
7.   Most important people in their lives
8.   Who they most admire
9.   Their philosophy of teaching
10. Why they chose to be a teacher
11. Why they chose this town, school, grade, to teach.
12. Letters of recommendation by past students and parents

Such information can provide parents with an understanding of the teacher's background and personal philosophies.
Most importantly parents who become or feel connected to their childrens teacher develop a trust in the teacher and the school.
Students have a higher level of success if the foundation at home and at school is strong, positive and foward moving.
The student must know that everyone is working together for them.  The student must be empowered.
To empower a student we must provide positive role models.
Teachers who embody the passion for learning encourage students to grow as creative individuals.
Unfortunately, too many schools today are saddled with the same dilemas in the classroom, school politics, and lack of student expression, that generations of students before them have been unhappy about.
Schools are poorly run businesses.  Many would be out of business if they were not publicly funded.
How many families would chose to pay for the education their child now receives?? 
The schools would have to put the students first.
The parents would require their concerns be addressed, or they would go elsewhere.
The effectiveness and citizenship of the teacher would be accurately judged as worthy or not to meet parent and student requirements.
WOW.
Have you ever met a teacher that has the excellence of mind and the passion for their subject matter?  A teacher who is dedicated to the material on an experiential level?  A teacher who embodies and exudes the energy necessary to share and affect others-to open minds and hearts, to awaken, to stir, to encourage, to challange, provoke, to learn?  These teachers are infectious, loved, revered, respected, sought after, never forgotten and impart timeless teachings to their students.
They are role models.  Their love and passion for teaching is obvious.
Teachers who are passionate about their subject and their students have a strong connection to both.
They naturally shine and their students are blessed.  The exchanges that happen in this classroom are magical.  New ideas are shared, new possibilites are created.
Sometimes students lose their way, judge themselves too harshly, feel they are incapable of success.
Wise teachers lift their students above their past conditioning and accept them as they are growing.
These teachers keep their students focused. A teacher's continuous belief in their student can empower them to overcome their personal setbacks.
Each students success is unique and individualized.  A true teacher is delighted with the small as well as the larger successes they make.
A students success is often defined by their teacher.  It is a "power" a teacher has over their student.
If a teacher judges the students attempts as failures, the student can internalize this as rejection and withdraw.
It would probably be easier for a student to recover from a fist-fight with a teacher then the sword of rejection...leading to the hollow sound of apathy, surrender to the students worst fears and ultimately the repression of their talents.
Our teachers must also be able to recognize each student as a unique and creative individual.
We must teach our children to choose their teachers wisely.
Karen
Dedicated to German and Valentina Zamuel

Blogger Idiocy

This is the beginning and ending of me.  I decided to take the plunge into the  blogger-sphere of life.  I may regret this, or,  I may be free of all the fears that bind me from actually "doing it" and "getting on with it" in my life.

I suppose I am not alone and maybe even one step ahead of someone who may just "be thinking about it".

We each lay down a stone on the path and the path becomes more defined.  We each add a little texture and color and I suppose a bit of earthiness to it all.  Yea,  for those who lead the way and for those of us who pick up the scent and take new risks.

Can you imagine being the very first one...that seems unreal. That someone had an original thought and the guts to put it out there.  I always suspected that most of the time we are busy manipulating thoughts we read and hear and are taught and then break them down and switch them around until we believe we have created something...new.

I am not sure if I can come up with something entirely new.

Karen