ok. i love homework....(i'm a teacher what can i say). so when I read about momalon's five for ten project I was in. In short, I have to post about set topics (courage, happiness, memory, lust and yes)...and a bunch of other bloggers out there will be doing the same. So here is my first installment. On courage.
I’ve had a lot of first days in the classroom.
Almost as many as a teacher as a student.
I wish I could tell you that I remember all of my students.
But with 150 or so almost adults a year.
Most of them start to blend together.
I forget names and even faces.
But my first year, those kids I remember the most.
And one in particular.
She was just a freshman and should have been as fearful of her first day in highschool as I was to be her teacher.
It was a science class and I don’t remember the lesson exactly.
We talked briefly about the difference between science and faith.
And how they weren’t necessarily mutually exclusive.
But that science was something that we could prove.
That we could hypothesize and test and collect data.
But that faith and beliefs, no less valid, could not be proven in this same way.
And this girl raised her wiry hand.
And said that she could.
I stared a little blankly at her.
Thinking maybe she had misheard me.
And I was too new at this to know any better so I gave her the floor.
And she stood.
And on her first day of high school were most of her students were worried about finding their classrooms, opening their lockers or if they were wearing the right brand of jeans.
She boldly shared her heart.
And went on about how her Jesus could be proven.
She talked some nonsense about the loch ness monster and ancient texts.
And I think I saw her knees shaking a little.
But her voice didn’t waver.
And her classmates listened.
No one snickered or laughed at her like I was afraid maybe they would.
And after a few minutes she sat back down.
I’m not sure what I said or did afterwards.
But the lesson continued.
And the year quickly drifted by.
And so did the last 10.
But this girl I remember.
Because it is not every day that a 14 year old stands up and gives the teacher a lesson on courage and faith that she will never forget.
I’ve had a lot of first days in the classroom.
Almost as many as a teacher as a student.
I wish I could tell you that I remember all of my students.
But with 150 or so almost adults a year.
Most of them start to blend together.
I forget names and even faces.
But my first year, those kids I remember the most.
And one in particular.
She was just a freshman and should have been as fearful of her first day in highschool as I was to be her teacher.
It was a science class and I don’t remember the lesson exactly.
We talked briefly about the difference between science and faith.
And how they weren’t necessarily mutually exclusive.
But that science was something that we could prove.
That we could hypothesize and test and collect data.
But that faith and beliefs, no less valid, could not be proven in this same way.
And this girl raised her wiry hand.
And said that she could.
I stared a little blankly at her.
Thinking maybe she had misheard me.
And I was too new at this to know any better so I gave her the floor.
And she stood.
And on her first day of high school were most of her students were worried about finding their classrooms, opening their lockers or if they were wearing the right brand of jeans.
She boldly shared her heart.
And went on about how her Jesus could be proven.
She talked some nonsense about the loch ness monster and ancient texts.
And I think I saw her knees shaking a little.
But her voice didn’t waver.
And her classmates listened.
No one snickered or laughed at her like I was afraid maybe they would.
And after a few minutes she sat back down.
I’m not sure what I said or did afterwards.
But the lesson continued.
And the year quickly drifted by.
And so did the last 10.
But this girl I remember.
Because it is not every day that a 14 year old stands up and gives the teacher a lesson on courage and faith that she will never forget.
(and the picture, that's her all grown up. a girl with that kind of courage. i never doubted her. not for a second.)
Comments
What a brave, courageous girl. I don't know that I could do that sort of thing, even today.
{and I think you are SO brave to live the first day of school every single year...}
THANKS for sharing this one!
No wonder you never forgot her. That is a girl with mettle.
Glad I found you thru Momalom!
Beautiful post.
Being a teacher takes such courage and strength, to nurture these minds and hearts and to treat them with respect. Thank you for recognizing that girl's courage even if not necessarily her argument.