Change
Not too many weeks ago the children gathered together to celebrate the baby’s college graduation. It was a joyous time – one filled with memories being made – memories relived and a foretaste of future memories as the children gather to celebrate the milestones and events in their shared lives.
It was getting towards evening when the conversation lulled, the TV sports contests were decided and the kids were getting antsy. It was suggested that we all play a game. Now that would be an issue, for not too many games reside in my household. A box of Monopoly pieces and some decks of playing cards were all that could be found. The decision was easy – we all would play cards. Ah, but what game? A poll of the children found that the only game in the common memory was that all-American favorite – Texas Holdem. Yes, soon the room was filled with shouts of “flop.” “turn,” and “the river.” Each child morphed into a professional river boat gambler in the wink of an eye. Even the quiet and reserved soon-to-be daughter-in-law blossomed into a card shark. After a few hands of the game, it was decided that it would be more fun if actual money or even chips were brought into play – instead of the imaginary bets of thousands of dollars.
Dad came to the rescue as he broke out his change bank. Yes, I hate change. After I break a dollar and have a pocket full of coins I put all of the pennies into a special bank and the “silver” – dimes, nickels, quarters, and the occasional dollar coin are put into the change bank. I dumped out the change on the table, divided up the change and the game was on. There was just one rule – at the end of the night – all of the change goes back into Dad’s bank. The game was on. Three hours later the two youngest at the table had played all of the change in front of them – the game stopping as they were declared co-winners.
Now the soon-to-be daughter-in-law works in a bank. Before the change could be returned to the bank – she had to count it. Almost $70 in dimes, nickels, quarters and the occasional dollar coin was deposited back into the change bank. I was shocked. I was impressed at the amount of change that had accumulated a little at a time.
Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it. – Proverbs 22:6
As teachers we can look at the children that sit in front of us at the end of the year and marvel, “When did they learn so much?” The child that leaves the grade is so very different from the one that entered. How does this happen? In much the same way I was able to save $70 with a small investment each day, teachers accomplish great changes with small investments each day. Each daily lesson is reinforced over and over so that the child learns and assimilates the lesson. Each day the old is reinforced while a piece of new information is imparted. As I look back over the past months, my bank was filled with a deposit every day. Some days it may only have been a nickel, while other days it may have been a whole handful of change tossed into the bank.
Some days the students may only assimilate a small piece of knowledge, information or habit, while on other days great quantities of knowledge, information or habits appear are assimilated into the students.
Teaching is a profession of change. Each day teachers strive for their students to grow – mentally, socially and spiritually. Great changes are the desired result, but always one step at a time.
As we remember the words of Proverbs, the teacher takes great comfort in knowing that each day the trials and struggles of change do indeed take root. The teacher can take great comfort in knowing that lessons taught and caught now will indeed last a lifetime. The teacher can take great comfort in knowing that the seeds of faith sown now will indeed last a lifetime – and beyond.
A little change each day brings great rewards.
Not too many weeks ago the children gathered together to celebrate the baby’s college graduation. It was a joyous time – one filled with memories being made – memories relived and a foretaste of future memories as the children gather to celebrate the milestones and events in their shared lives.
It was getting towards evening when the conversation lulled, the TV sports contests were decided and the kids were getting antsy. It was suggested that we all play a game. Now that would be an issue, for not too many games reside in my household. A box of Monopoly pieces and some decks of playing cards were all that could be found. The decision was easy – we all would play cards. Ah, but what game? A poll of the children found that the only game in the common memory was that all-American favorite – Texas Holdem. Yes, soon the room was filled with shouts of “flop.” “turn,” and “the river.” Each child morphed into a professional river boat gambler in the wink of an eye. Even the quiet and reserved soon-to-be daughter-in-law blossomed into a card shark. After a few hands of the game, it was decided that it would be more fun if actual money or even chips were brought into play – instead of the imaginary bets of thousands of dollars.
Dad came to the rescue as he broke out his change bank. Yes, I hate change. After I break a dollar and have a pocket full of coins I put all of the pennies into a special bank and the “silver” – dimes, nickels, quarters, and the occasional dollar coin are put into the change bank. I dumped out the change on the table, divided up the change and the game was on. There was just one rule – at the end of the night – all of the change goes back into Dad’s bank. The game was on. Three hours later the two youngest at the table had played all of the change in front of them – the game stopping as they were declared co-winners.
Now the soon-to-be daughter-in-law works in a bank. Before the change could be returned to the bank – she had to count it. Almost $70 in dimes, nickels, quarters and the occasional dollar coin was deposited back into the change bank. I was shocked. I was impressed at the amount of change that had accumulated a little at a time.
Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it. – Proverbs 22:6
As teachers we can look at the children that sit in front of us at the end of the year and marvel, “When did they learn so much?” The child that leaves the grade is so very different from the one that entered. How does this happen? In much the same way I was able to save $70 with a small investment each day, teachers accomplish great changes with small investments each day. Each daily lesson is reinforced over and over so that the child learns and assimilates the lesson. Each day the old is reinforced while a piece of new information is imparted. As I look back over the past months, my bank was filled with a deposit every day. Some days it may only have been a nickel, while other days it may have been a whole handful of change tossed into the bank.
Some days the students may only assimilate a small piece of knowledge, information or habit, while on other days great quantities of knowledge, information or habits appear are assimilated into the students.
Teaching is a profession of change. Each day teachers strive for their students to grow – mentally, socially and spiritually. Great changes are the desired result, but always one step at a time.
As we remember the words of Proverbs, the teacher takes great comfort in knowing that each day the trials and struggles of change do indeed take root. The teacher can take great comfort in knowing that lessons taught and caught now will indeed last a lifetime. The teacher can take great comfort in knowing that the seeds of faith sown now will indeed last a lifetime – and beyond.
A little change each day brings great rewards.