Hmmmm. Evolution usually strikes disdain in the hearts of Christians everywhere. Evolution, but you know what, our God is the Father of evolution. He wants us to evolve into being more like him. Instead of time being the catalyst, He is. Instead of a random set of notes just echoing together in chaos and happening to end up as a new piece of music, He is our conductor, if we will let Him be.
Sad story; my beautiful wonderful 6th graders, that yes, throw crap across the room, roll on the floor, jump on empty kleenex boxes behind my desk ( I know... ridiculous) are still 6th graders, and still created by the Master. Last Thursday I was ill and out with a sinus infection that made me give up and stay on the couch, and in steps the sub. Now, my disclaimer is: I subbed one day for 4th graders and didn't know what the heck I was doing, and swore (hee hee hee) that I would NEVER EVER EVER EVER EVER teach. I realize that subbing is an awefully hard job. I think that the biggest part of my problem was the first part- the not knowing what the heck I was doing part. But, if I had chosen subbing as a main form of survival, I think I would have a bag of tricks. Maybe some prizes for the best kid in the class, or some pencils and erasers that I handed out if everyone is on task, maybe a fun ice breaker to get the class going, something to get their attention and then pull out the work, all the while telling the kids that they were really cool and how proud of them I was, and then if all else failed, reading them some story or something, or even take them outside for a game of red rover red rover or something to get them moving. Something. What I am saying is that if you are planning to be a sub, at least half of what you get is what you give. I would imagine that comes with anything you do, right? Well... the note that I got said that I had some aweful kids. She'd been subbing for a long time with the district, and I had some aweful kids. Ok. I hear ya. They were crappy and showing out because they thought they could be stupid and take advantage of a sub. But... this is the kicker.
She made fun of a stuttering student in my first class, while telling the rest of them they were stupid, a couple she explained to them that she was unsure of how they passed the 5th grade at all, and that they were the worst students she'd ever had. My next class were belittled as well, and she honed in on one student that I have worked with extensively this year to build self esteem in his kind heart, and she looked him in the eye... and called him a moron. My last class got much of the same.
I pulled my "moron" victim aside and looked him in the eye, and told him that I wanted him to remember that I loved him, believed in him, and that even though adults are adults, they are not always right, and that sometimes they lied. This was one of the times that he heard a lie. I told him that I didn't believe that she lied intentionally, but she obviously didn't know him the way I did, so she lied, and it was wrong of her to speak to him in that way anyway.
My students were disciplined for their behavior, but they also heard the fact that regardless of how others behave, they are always responsible for themselves. I want them to learn that there will always be people in life that speak things out that are not accurate, and it is their responsibility to evolve into adults that make the world better... not more broken.
Where are you? What path of evolution are you on? Me? I am having a wonderful week serving others in my home for Thanksgiving week. I am looking forward to hugs and tears of joy, and games played and things like that. I am looking forward to the love and grace of Jesus being abound in this place. Without these things occuring, what is the point of evolution anyway?
I have closets that will be evolving into order, shelves that will be evolving into dust-free, and I will have children that will evolve into strong oaks of righteousness, in Jesus' name! Have a wonderful Holiday season. Be grateful. Every day. Don't miss this!
