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Tiny Tips for Moms and Dads #96 The Ingredients of a “Called Teacher”.

Children are the greatest gift to humanity.

For the next couple of weeks, I will be running a series for parents and teachers on what I feel as a teacher and a Professor of Teacher Training, feels are the elements that need to be in the character development of a teacher that has been “Called” as their “Divine Purpose” to serve children.  Having been in the profession of education and as a Parenting Advocate, for over 40 years of my professional life, I feel that it is imperative that parents have a guide as to who should have the humongous responsibility of being their child’s teacher. 

We, teachers, parents, and “The Community” are the ones who must advocate for our children.  It is an enormous commitment and responsibility. 

The Question we must ask ourselves is- “What does it take and whom must you be, to serve children as their teacher?   It has been said-

“Many have come, but few have been chosen”! 

Are you called to be in the service of children?

I will share each chapter of the book that will be published next year and I am inviting you to join me in discussion each of these ingredients that are required to be a “Called Teacher”.  Becoming a teacher is not a “JOB” it has to be your “WORK”!

What does it take and whom must you be, to serve children as their teacher?

You must have a love for children and a deep spiritual connection to who they are as gifts to humanity.

You must have been “Called” into the service of children to care, guide, nurture, protect, and provide opportunities for them that will allow them to discover themselves and their world.  This sets the stage for them to develop in the 4 Domains of their being: Cognitively, Physically, Social-Emotionally and Spiritually.

You are charged with teaching children to “love the art of learning”.

You must be intellectually prepared and committed to being a “lifelong learner”, because you understand that “there is always more truth and knowledge” to learn. You must understand that as you continue to learn and enhance your life, that it benefits not only you, but the lives of the children you are serving.

You must be joy filled.

You must be clear- this is living a happy, whole, physically and emotionally healthy life.

You must be patient.

You must be compassionate.

You must be a person of integrity.

You must be honest and forthright.

You must have a willingness to compromise.

You must utilize your creative genius.

You must be humble of Spirit and character.

You must be empathetic.

You must come from a place of “allowing” and not “controlling”.

You must be an advocate for the child and their family.

You must be a good listener- being open and receptive to other’s opinions and cultural values.

You must be just and fair in your decision-making processes.

You must be nonjudgmental otherwise you have closed the door to dialog and communication.

You must hold a space for children that it is always- “A new day”.

You must be able to live in the “Present” as children do so you too can live in the “Presence” and understand their reality of a world that is loving, beautiful, safe, accepting, nurturing, and is “theirs”.

Translation in Spanish:

Los niños son el mayor regalo para la humanidad!

Pequeños consejos para mamás y papás

Los ingredientes de un “Maestro Llamado“.

Durante las próximas dos semanas, estaré llevando a cabo una serie para padres y maestros sobre lo que siento como maestro y profesor de Capacitación Docente, siento que son los elementos que deben estar en el desarrollo del carácter de un maestro que ha sido “llamado” como su “Propósito Divino” para servir a los niños.  Después de haber estado en la profesión de la educación y como defensora de la crianza de los hijos, durante más de 40 años de mi vida profesional, siento que es imperativo que los padres tengan una guía sobre quién debe tener la enorme responsabilidad de ser el maestro de sus hijos. 

Nosotros, los maestros, los padres y “La Comunidad” somos los que debemos abogar por nuestros hijos.  Es un compromiso y una responsabilidad enormes. 

La pregunta que debemos hacernos es: “¿Qué se necesita y quién debe ser usted para servir a los niños como sus maestros?   Se ha dicho:

“Muchos han venido, pero pocos han sido los elegidos”. 

¿Estás llamado a estar al servicio de los niños?

Compartiré cada capítulo del libro que se publicará el próximo año y los invito a unirse a mí en la discusión de cada uno de estos ingredientes que se requieren para ser un “Maestro Llamado”.  Convertirse en profesor no es un “TRABAJO”, ¡tiene que ser tu “TRABAJO”!

¿Qué se necesita y quién debe ser usted para servir a los niños como su maestro?

Debes tener amor por los niños y una profunda conexión espiritual con lo que son como regalos para la humanidad.

Debes haber sido “llamado” al servicio de los niños para cuidar, guiar, nutrir, proteger y brindarles oportunidades que les permitan descubrirse a sí mismos y a su mundo.  Esto prepara el escenario para que se desarrollen en los 4 dominios de su ser: Cognitivo, Físico, Social-Emocional y Espiritual.

Usted está encargado de enseñar a los niños a “amar el arte de aprender”.

Debes estar preparado intelectualmente y comprometido a ser un “aprendiz de por vida”, porque entiendes que “siempre hay más verdad y conocimiento” que aprender. Debes entender que a medida que continúes aprendiendo y mejorando tu vida, no solo te beneficiará a ti, sino también a la vida de los niños a los que sirves.

Debes estar lleno de alegría.

Debes tener claro que esto es vivir una vida feliz, completa, física y emocionalmente saludable.

Debes tener paciencia.

Debes ser compasivo.

Debes ser una persona íntegra.

Debes ser honesto y directo.

Debes estar dispuesto a hacer concesiones.

Debes utilizar tu genio creativo.

Debes ser humilde de espíritu y carácter.

Debes ser empático.

Debes venir de un lugar de “permitir” y no de “controlar”.

Usted debe ser un defensor del niño y su familia.

Debes ser un buen oyente, ser abierto y receptivo a las opiniones y valores culturales de los demás.

Debes ser justo y equitativo en tus procesos de toma de decisiones.

Debes no juzgar, de lo contrario, habrás cerrado la puerta al diálogo y la comunicación.

Debes tener un espacio para los niños que sea siempre: “Un nuevo día”.

Debes ser capaz de vivir en el “Presente” como lo hacen los niños para que tú también puedas vivir en la “Presencia” y comprender su realidad de un mundo que es amoroso, hermoso, seguro, que acepta, nutre y es “suyo”.

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Tiny Tips for Moms and Dads #74 The Safety of Our Children in Our Schools-Should Our Teachers be Armed?

Our Children have a birthright to be safe and secure
at home, at school and at play.

Alabama

Alaska

Arizona

Arkansas

Colorado

Connecticut

Delaware

Florida

Georgia

Idaho

Indiana

Iowa

Kansas

Kentucky

Massachusetts

Michigan

Minnesota

Missouri

Montana

Nevada

New Hampshire

New Jersey

Ohio

Oklahoma

Oregon

South Carolina

South Dakota

Tennessee

Texas

Vermont

Wyoming

32 states that have sanctioned teachers bringing guns to school.

It just amazes me to be in this place at this time in my life where now as a professor that has taught “teachers” to be “teachers”, that our country is allowing teachers to bring guns in the classroom.  What is their thinking?  32 states out of our 50 states have children in a classroom where teachers have the responsibility of safeguarding a lethal weapon on top of the responsibility to safeguard the lives of our children.  I can’t imagine taking my child to school and leaving her in the care of a civilian who has a gun.  I might add to my concern that teachers are not law enforcement officers and have not had the training to discern what is an appropriate response in a volatile situation.

As it is, our local police officers need a longer more expansive time and firsthand experiences in their training.  Another thing that concerns me is that teachers-most teachers- get their bachelor’s degree and then do 1 additional year to acquire their teaching credential.  The criteria for becoming a teacher are exams and practice teaching experience.  There is a background check to see if the potential teacher has a criminal record, but there are no psychological test and evaluation that establishes the mental and emotional health of prospective teachers.  This to me this should be a serious consideration before putting a gun in someone’s hands. I can tell you from first-hand experience that there were times I had to gently encourage some students to consider another profession.  

Even with teachers coming into the field that seem to have a sound emotional and mental healthy persona, life happens, circumstances of traumatic events happen, and people have break downs. 

I have witnessed these kinds of events where teachers lose control and have emotional breakdowns in the classroom.  Our teachers in our public schools are under extreme stress just trying to deal with the everyday things they have to overcome and solve to maintain a functioning classroom environment where children can learn. 

We need for our classrooms to be safe, and we are intelligent enough to know how to secure the schools.  Yes, 30 years ago, my brother-in-law, as a principal of a high school, requested that their school board consider installing metal detectors and to check backpacks as a daily procedure.  He made suggestions on procedures and protocols for securing our school facilities. He has even written a book that should be taken seriously if we want to secure our schools.  The whole American cultural is being driven by violence and weapons.  Some are physical weapons and now there are virtual internet communicational weapons as well.  We have to do better!  We have to get a handle on “Gun Control”!  We have to take the safety of our children seriously and demand that our government be called into action against gun lobbyist and gun manufactures.  We need to make sure that guns cannot be sold or made via the internet. 

Right now, with 32 states doing their own thing and there is no consistent, intelligent, attainable, law in place to protect our children, we have to advocate for them.  We have more power than we use, and we have more power than we can imagine.  Contact your representatives and advocate for your children.  Contact your local city councils and educational district boards and voice your concerns and demands.  This is our “Call to Action”!  We are all our children have!