Bird Droppings September 14, 2010
The puppy ate it

“A new position of responsibility will usually show a man to be a far stronger creature than was supposed.” William James

While on one hand I am an avid fan of not having homework there may be times when it is appropriate and it is those times that so many issues of responsibility pop up and excuses arise. In ten years back in public school teaching I have heard my favorite actually numerous times. I am a big fan of this excuse and always question deeper, the puppy ate it routine. That is since in my own life as a parent one of my sons actually had that happen and we sent the evidence shredded notes and his project in a zip lock bag as evidence. We did not follow the puppy around checking for residue in the droppings however but I have had students suggest that they could bring in the final evidence sadly they don’t know who they are messing with when I say sure just to prove you right go ahead bring it in.

“Mistakes fail in their mission of helping the person who blames them on the other fellow.” Henry S. Haskins

Puppies seem to be number one on the blame list then parents and then friends and or friend’s lockers and of course the car is on the list near the top. I have never quite figured how a car grabbed a homework sheet out of a backpack and hid it under the seat. It always seems there is someone else to blame in this world no matter what the problem. Watching politics currently over taxes and how no matter what way tax cuts go both sides will blame the other.

“Few things help an individual more than to place responsibility upon him, and to let him know that you trust him.” Booker T. Washington

I have had other teachers walk in my class room and observe students who have been trouble in their other classes and in my room sitting doing their assignments often from another room. Trust is a powerful word but it is also a two way street and one must trust to be trusted and conversely it is reciprocated. I hear far to many teachers say they demand respect or trust from students and that is a sure sign that it is not happening in that room.

“We have not passed that subtle line between childhood and adulthood until… we have stopped saying ‘It got lost,” and say “I lost it.’” Sidney J. Harris

It is a powerful moment when students begin to trust their teacher and in turn when a teacher begins to trust their students. Miracles begin and do occur in learning when this relationship is attained. Difficulty is when those students do not trust everybody else as trust is not always generalized. Far too many people do not provide the ground work for trust and in effect provide a negative setting which in and of itself promotes a lack of responsibility and trust.

“It is easy to ignore responsibility when one is only an intermediate link in a chain of action.” Stanley Milgram

Children learn from example and watching adults who themselves are not trusting and or responsible only promotes that same behavior in children and or students. I always come back to Dr. Laura Nolte’s poem from early 1970’s “Children Learn What they live”. That reminds me to look across my room at my faded hippy day’s poster. I should probably get a black light to bring out the colors.

“When a man points a finger at someone else, he should remember that four of his fingers are pointing at himself.” Louis Nizer

This last quote is perhaps one of the oldest illustrations yet still is so profound and so true. This is definitely one to think about as we go about our day please keep all in harms way on your mind and in your hearts.
namaste
bird