Some time ago I had the opportunity to get some quality teaching experience while on the job. Every year we give the kids a "How to Live a Virtuous Life 101" class. My boss is in love with the idea of my taking over as much responsibility as humanly possible so I had the privilege of teaching 3 out of the 4 nights each week. Let's say that it has been as enjoyable as it is eye-opening and frustrating.
Teaching the younger grades (1-4) is always fun because the little kids are always eager to raise their hand, unafraid of speaking (even if the answer is wrong) and trying to think of examples, scenarios, etc. They are, for the most part, eager to listen and learn.
Fifth and Sixth grade is a little bit of a different story. They've started to grasp that idea of "I-get-spoon-fed-at-home-and-school-why-should-I-try-exerting-myself-here?" mentality. So I, as teacher, have to be more proactive and persuade them to use their minds and come to the proper conclusion without my giving away the answer. The first few days were rough but by the last day I had a pretty good handle on it.
The last week, however, was totally and completely different.
Permit me to vent for a few moments about the condition of our poor junior high students. The 7/8th grade seminar topics cover these virtues:
-Respect
-Modesty
-Moderation
-Simplicity
-Friendliness
-Sociability
I won't go into all of them as that would be a REALLY long post but let me give you a sampling of just a few.
Respect is a big area that kids today have no clue about. And it's not really their fault either. No one has taken the time to train them or show them how to respect others or themselves. Today: Respect = toleration. I asked about six kids in the class what the definition of respect was. Answers ranged from everything to "I don't know" to "having respect". When asked if they are allowed to define a word at school by using the same word in the definition, the answer was "yes." Grrr....
Modesty. Yeah, I'm not a huge fan of speaking on this subject when both the boys and girls are together but I had to make the most of it.
Me: What is modesty?
Student: I've never heard that word before.
If anyone has been asking themselves lately why kids dress the way the they do, there is your answer. They have NO CLUE what it means to be modest. They are taught to make a statement about who they are. It's all about expression. But no one ever tells them that they still have to respect themselves and others and stay within the realm of modesty.
The best answer I got for moderation was "being modern". Well, at least he was trying to go for the root word, albeit unsuccessfully.
Of course, not all the students were quite that bad. But really, the experience led me to make to several conclusions.
First, we have a LOT of work to do.
Second, we who know have the responsibilty to educate.
Third, we can only educate others by first forming ourselves.
Fourth, I need to spend more time praying in front of the Blessed Sacrament.
Today is the Feast of St. Francis de Sales. It wouldn't hurt to start reading Introduction to the Devout Life. Don't have a copy? Check out your local library (haha, I'm sure you'll have to ILL this one) or go to St. John the Evangelist Library in Front Royal, VA.
Can't wait to go to the library? click on this link for an on-line PDF of the entire book: www.franciscan-sfo.org/ap/wosf/devout_life.pdf
Want your own copy? Go to amazon.com and search for it. It's as simple as that.
1 comment:
Education begins at home...
"Since parents have given children their life, they are bound by the most serious obligation to educate their offspring and therefore must be recognized as the primary and principal educators.(11) This role in education is so important that only with difficulty can it be supplied where it is lacking. Parents are the ones who must create a family atmosphere animated by love and respect for God and man, in which the well-rounded personal and social education of children is fostered. Hence the family is the first school of the social virtues that every society needs. It is particularly in the Christian family, enriched by the grace and office of the sacrament of matrimony, that children should be taught from their early years to have a knowledge of God according to the faith received in Baptism, to worship Him, and to love their neighbor. Here, too, they find their first experience of a wholesome human society and of the Church. Finally, it is through the family that they are gradually led to a companionship with their fellowmen and with the people of God. Let parents, then, recognize the inestimable importance a truly Christian family has for the life and progress of God's own people.(12)" Taken from GRAVISSIMUM EDUCATIONIS by Pope Paul VI
Where have all the families gone?
...
As you mentioned, "We have a lot of work to do... we who know have the responsibility to educate...we can only educate others by first forming ourselves." Too true!
I trust that God will bring good out of this unfortunate situation. Perhaps it is this need to educate that will push us beyond our own comfort level and lead us to sanctity. After all: “To them that love God, all things work together unto good, to such as, according to his purpose, are called to be saints.” Rom 8:28
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