I have been out of touch for the past few days but as I was reading the forum to catch up on everything, I came up on the article about the rebel flag. Like most of you, I wish we could address some of the more up-to-date problems in our world such as testing and how everyone could learn best. But we always get back to treating others as they should be treated. If we could take one thing from the Bible that would make our world completely different it would be to "love thy neighbor as thyself," then this would be the answer to many of these problems that have faced our world for many years.

I am taking from this class as a teacher that if the one thing I teach my students is that by loving everyone, no matter their race, religious beliefs, etc., then I feel as if I have done my job.

These problems are no different than they were in any other time period; it looks as if we would learn from our past and I really feel that some of these changes have to start with each individually and in every classroom in America.

Does anyone feel the same? Can we as educators, teachers, mothers, make the difference we need to?

I don't know, but hope, that we can make the difference. The high school band director once told me that he didn't care if his students learned to play an instrument, but that they should learn respect for themselves and others. That was his main goal in teaching.


Maria Caldwell

We definitely help to impact the lives of our students. Although we may not be able to change the world we can help make a difference. One of may favorite sayings to my students and daughter is " to be the better person". This is hard for little ones, but if they can learn to not argue, make comments back, or get in senseless confrontations, they can help to end some of the meaness in the world.

Marie,
I agree with you the less we can stir the pot on some issues the better off we are. I like the thought of "trying to be the better person." That is good sound advice. Especially since we live in such an emotional and reactional society where lots of people are stressed to the max.