I recently read a blog entitled “What’s Your Job.” The blog made me to reflect on my job as an educator. Steve Jobs said it well, ““The only way to do great work is to love what you do.” Teaching is the career that I have chosen because I love what I do. I genuinely want to make a difference in the lives of the students that I work with. I want Emily Stowe to be a place that everyone wants to be on a daily basis.
It seems like the obvious answer to the question “What’s Your Job” for an educator is to teach children and prepare them for the work world. For me the job goes far beyond that. At the end of the day my job is to ignite a passion for learning, instill confidence, emphasize good character and provide the skills and rigor necessary for our students to be contributing citizens of the world.
This question also left me thinking about what my job is in supporting families in their child’s education. Are there ways that we, as a school community, can better support families with the learning that happens at home? I am certain there are always ways we can grow so I would love to hear from you. If there are topics you would like to hear more about in weekly blogs or topics that can be explored at the school level, please feel free to send me an email at l.munro@tvdsb.on.ca. Your ideas may provide wonderful inspiration for next steps.
I leave you with one final request. As parents and community members I encourage you to reflect on what your job is in your child’s education. What parts of your role are most proud of and where would you like to go next?
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On Friday one of our FDK classes hosted a Mother’s Day Tea. It was wonderful to watch the students swell with pride as they shared tea and scones with moms and grandmas. It was touching hearing the children share what they love most about their moms- a kiss good night, a clean blankie, playing outside – showing that even the littlest acts of motherhood can have a lasting impact on children.
You have probably heard of the 3 Rs, in education. What about the fourth R – Resiliency? Resiliency is the ability to bounce back from setbacks, learn from failure, be motivated by challenges and believe in your own abilities to deal with the stress and difficulties in life. Resiliency skills are as important as the other 3 Rs because every child’s life will be touched by setbacks as well as achievement, pain as well as joy, loss as well as triumph. In order for children to reach their fullest potential they need to know how to approach life with resilience. What you might not know is that, just like reading, writing and arithmetic, resiliency can be learned. Children learn from their parents, teachers and coaches – how to develop the skills of resilience. Resilience enables your child to thrive no matter what life puts in his or her path.