​Two negatives do not always make a positive
 
I recall as a very young child being fascinated when I learned that multiplying two negatives resulted in a positive.  I also learned, however, that adding two negatives do not equal a positive. Yet, as axiomatic as this truth seems to me, it is a difficult one for most humans to accept.
 
I have previously written about this difficulty, but was reminded of it again this morning while listening to a Ted Talk entitled “What we don’t know about Europe’s Muslim kids” by Deeyah Khan.  Ms. Khan was raised in Norway by an Afghan mother and a Pakistani father.  She grew up often feeling rejected and isolated. As a filmmaker, she has a passionate commitment to helping others understand the attraction of some youth, including some Muslim youth, to extremist groups.   When a young person who does not feel, important and embraced by his or her peers is welcome as a valuable person who has something to contribute, they feel important. They are then ready to do whatever needs to be done to honor and hold on to that embrace.  
 
The response by individuals and the body politic to the terrorist groups is almost always violent.  We act as if we cannot understand why anyone would be attracted to such behavior which we see as evil.   Yet, as Ms. Kahn and others have pointed out, often the youth who are attracted to extremist groups come from a background of learning to believe that they and their needs are not important.
 
Discrimination on the basis of race, gender, religion, nationality or other factors does not build self-esteem     Absent fathers and busy single parents also do not boost self-esteem.  A culture which promises that more and more money, things, education, and learning to act better than also does not build self-esteem.  
 
When one does not feel a valuable part of; when one is proscribed a place in society and perhaps even had their career, marriage partner or dreams proscribed, one does not feel valued.
 
The habit of the body politic is to embrace those who “fit in” and to reject those who, for whatever reason, do not fit it.  Often the decision of who fits is made by those who need to bolster their own self esteem by proving that they are better then, stronger than, or more moral/religious than.
 
Extremist groups, prisons, the street gang, and even the local crack house often provide a place to belong, a place where one has the potential of being embraced.  Even if the cost of that embrace is dying as a suicide bomber, becoming the most feared person in prison, or forsaking all others for a momentary high, it may be seen as a good bargain compared to what one had prior to that embrace.
 
If we continue to respond to the pain of negative self-esteem with more negatives we will continue to get another negative.  Minus one plus minus one is always going to be a minus two. The rules are simple.
 
The rule for multiplying and dividing is very similar to the rule for adding and subtracting. When the signs are different the answer is negative. When the signs are the same the answer is positive.
 
When we respond to the pain of negative self-esteem by being with the pain of the individual we open up the possibility of turning that pain into a positive. How is that possible?  The underlying truth is that all people are intrinsically worthwhile.  That intrinsic is a positive and the empathy is a positive.  The shield of fear and distrust is a negative.  If one responds to just the shield one ends up with a sum total of a negative.
 
In the Sherlock Holmes mystery series by Arthur Doyle the chief character can often be heard to say, “Elementary my dear Watson.” 
 
Basic mathematical principles are “Elementary my dear Watson.”
Unless we starting teaching how to apply these basic principles to very young children we are going to continue to create a world with more sophisticated weapons and the perverse logic which will ultimately result in a world whose primary dualism is looking for the perfect addictive drug to dull the pain and mutual destruction.
 
Written February 16, 2017
 

School Bells – Current Affairs   Grade 1 – Week 25 The importance of dreams
The importance of dreaming
 
I am eager to hear how the young scholars handled the subject of dreaming    There is more and more evidence of the effectiveness of visualizing a goal or as aspiration and then, of course, planning the steps one has to take to make it a reality.   Just this morning, while at the gym, I was listening to a TED Talk by Janine Shepherd who was on her way to her dream of an Olympic metal as a cross-country skier when she was hit by a truck during a training bike ride.  A spinal injury and numerous broken bones and other injuries convinced the doctors that she would never walk again.  Yet she had the courage to have a new dream of becoming a pilot which, on the surface, was not possible.  She had to be driven to and lifted into the plane for her first lesson.   Eventually she got her commercial pilot license.   There are many such stories, but sadly they are often outnumbered by those are fearful of dreaming or who are told that their dreams are not attainable.  
 
I head the scholars arriving now.
 
Me: Good morning scholars.   Happy Valentine’s day one day late.   Ahmes and Tommy will you pass out the cookies.
 
(They do so.)
 
Class: Good morning Mr. Jim.
 
Me: The subject for today was dreaming and doing what needs to be done to make a dream come true.  I hope you and your families had some fun with this one.
 
Sue:  At first I thought you mean scary dreams me just poor Sue in a wheelchair.  Then my parents talked about their awake dreams.  Mom wanted to be a doctor but came from a very poor family who suggested she take typing or get a job in the local factory and be grateful.  One teacher found out about her dream and helped her get a scholarship to college.  That teacher kept in touch with her and encouraged her all the way through medical school.   My dad wanted to be a waitperson in a fancy restaurant.  His parents told him he would be a chemist and he did.  He was teaching at a college and one day she just quit and went to work at a restaurant. He loves it. 
 
Tara; My mother told me about Golda Mier who was made to quit school at 16 and wait for a husband.  Yuk! She ran away from home and later became a teacher.  The she was head of something of a country.
 
Me:  She was the Prime Minister of Israel.   Even when she ran away she went to school.
 
Steve:  The man who started Habitat for Humanity thought his dream was to make a lot of money and he dis. He eventually decided that his family was more important. He and his wife started Habitat for Humanity. His name was…   I forgot.
 
Me:  Millard and Linda Fuller.  How did these men and women get from a dream to making it real?
 
Sam:  The had a plan. Every day they did a piece of the plan. You told me it was just like making cookies.  You just keep adding stuff at the right time. You mx it up, bake it and there are cookies.   The bowl of stuff does not look like cookies.
 
Me:  Sam that is a great example.
 
Sofia:  My grandmother’s parents wanted to come to this country and they worked and saved and saved and saved.  She worked as a dishwasher and kept track of how much dishes she washed.   It is written down but I forget the number.
 
Susie:  I used to say I wanted to be the tallest woman ever but all the woman and the men in our family are very short.  I had to get a new dream.


Me:  What is your dream now Susie?
 
Susie:  Now I want to be a teacher and help kids dream!
 
Me: That is a great dream Susie.  Sounds like for lots of reasons we may have to change our dreams but we can have more than one. We have to believe and work very hard.
 
Sue: But if we just work hard is that enough.  If my mom had worked very hard in a factory she would not be a doctor.
 
Me:  That is true. I shopped at McDonalds the other day to use their Wi-Fi.  I talked to a young man who wants to be a professional skate boarder.  He showed me some videos on his phone of him skating. He practices every day and he looks for people to teach him.  He now is ready to move to a city and find a new teacher
 
Tommy:  I want to find a cure for cancer.  I like to explore.
 
Me: that is great Tommy.      You scholars did really well again. I am au proud of you. You all seem to be saying that it helps to know of people who had a dream and make it come true.    I look for people who I think can teach me something. I have a lot to learn   The other day a young man told me to read a book and I did.  The book told me something I knew but had forgotten.  I never know who my teachers will be for the day.
 
How about next week we talk about the art of making mistakes.  See what your family members have to say about that.
 
Susie and Tara pass out the cookies please.   Sam wall you hand out the assignment please?
 
Have a really good week. 
 
Rlng! Ring!  Ring!
 
Class:  Goodbye Mr. Jim

written February 15, 2017
 
 
 
 
=

​School Bells – Current Affairs – Grade 8 – Week 25
The refugee questions
 
Perhaps it is appropriate that on this day in the United States which is celebrated as a day to honor love – Valentine’s Day – we talk about the economic impact of refugees and immigrants and whether it could be made easier for those coming from other countries to practice their profession here.
 
I hear the students arriving.
 
Me:  Good morning class.   Happy Valentine’s Day.  
 
Class: Good morning Mr. Jim.  Cookies?
 
Me:  Yes I have cookies for Valentine’s day. Tom and Will please pass them out.
 
They pass them out.
 
Me:  The refugee issue is a very complicated one which elicits many passionate opinions.  I am eager to hear what you and your families think.   First do refugees add to or drain our economy?
 
Abdul:  When we first came to this country it was because my parents had been recruited for work.  For both of them the employers helped them obtain a green card.  Right away they were making money, paying taxes and spending money.  That was good for the economy.   Now we are applying for citizenship.  
 
Tom:  We have neighbors who are fleeing Syria because of the war.  They needed help when they first arrived but they want to work.  She is a doctor and he is a lawyer but it is not easy for them to be allowed to practice in this country.
 
Me:  That touches on the other issues we were going to discuss today.
 
Tom: I get very confused.   My friend had to get emergency surgery when she was in another country and she thought she got good service.  She is doing well, but if that doctor comes to this country they cannot get a license without a lot more training and another test.
 
Me: I do not understand either.  They may be some laws which are different but everyone could take a short course on those.  In the United States, each state has its own licensing boards for professionals. Even United States citizens licensed by one state may have a difficult time getting licensed in another state.
 
Paul:  That sounds like a person who is an immigrant but not a refugee Uncle Jim.
 
Me:  Great point Paul.  All people who are citizens of another country who come here to live are immigrants but not all immigrants are refugees.
 
Susie:  Who qualifies as a refugee Mr. Jim?
 
Me:  Merriam-Webster states that a refugee is any person who is fleeing another country before danger or fear of danger of persecution whereas an immigrant is someone who comes from one country to take up permanent residence in another country for a variety of reasons.
 
Susie:  All of our families were immigrants then Mr. Jim.
 
Me:  Yes.  Some came looking for a better life.  Some to join family members. Some because their life was in danger in their birth country.  Some were forced to come as slaves. Even today many arrive by force to be used in the sex traffic. Some of those being forced to live as prostitutes are as young or younger than you.
 
Amena: Some just come to work or go to school, don’t they?
 
Me: Yes, Amena.  A great many people have come here to study just as many United States citizens go to other countries to study or to temporarily work.
 
Will:  Our church sponsors missionaries who sometimes work in another country for a long time.
 
Me: So, it seems clear that all refugees are immigrants but not all immigrants are refugees.
 
Paul:  That has been confusing lately Uncle Jim because of what the President says are concerns about terrorists and illegals. Sometimes it sounds as if everyone who wants to come here is bad because they are a terrorist or they are taking jobs from people who are already here.
 
Me: Yes, I get confused too Paul.  Let’s get back to the question of refugees and whether they are a drain on the economy.
 
Ann:  Our family were reading about the laws and rules on the web site ameriocanimmigrationcouncil.org and found that refugees are given a loan for travel costs which they have to repay and private voluntary agencies provide food, clothing and other needs for the first 90 days.   It used to be that each person or family had to have a sponsor but that is not true now.
 
Me:  Yes, after World War II people I know came as refugees and sponsors took care of them for at least a year I think.  
 
Ann: We also talked about the process of vetting refugees which includes a lot of research. That sounds expensive.
 
Me:  It sounds as if there may be a lot of direct and indirect costs involved in taking refugees and it may be some time before they start paying their own bills and public bills for roads and other shared services.
 
Tom:  Is there an expense morally if we do not take refugees Mr.Jim?
 
Me: What do you mean Tom?
 
Tom:  If my family members were in danger I would want someone to help them.
 
Ann:  Our family also talked about what happens when we do not help.  Are some people more likely to join terrorist groups who promise protection, food and other things?  What if we then decide he have to fight that group.  Isn’t that expensive morally and financially Mr. Jim?  We read that the United States spends a lot of money on defense.
 
Me:   Wow! You all have once again done a really good job and are raising some important questions.  It sounds as if we are saying that short term we may spend a lot of money to take refugees but long term we may gain financially/  Many refugees or even most, eventually work and pay taxes.   If they feel good about their experience in the United States, they will stay here and not support terrorist organizations.  
 
Will: Some who are citizens of the United States do become terrorists or for other reasons become violent.  
 
Me: That is true Will.   We are almost out of time.  What about the question of whether we could make it easier to practice their professions in the United States?
 
Susie:  We could not find a lot of information on studies of this issue.
 
Amena:  We could not either Mr. Jim.
 
Me:  What are some of the questions that you would like to see researchers ask Amena and Susie?
 
Amena:  Wouldn’t we want to know if people professionally trained and licensed in other countries performed better or worse?
 
Susie:  Each profession would have to decide how to evaluate performance wouldn’t they Mr. Jim?
 
Tom:  Have there been studies in different states to see if their licensing rules have better performance results?
 
Me: I do not know Tom.  I briefly tried to research that question but I may not have done a good job formulating the questions.
Obviously, we have just barely identified some of the basic questions regarding the long and short term, economic, moral and political costs of taking in refugees and the long and short term economic, moral and political costs of not taking in refugees.
 
You all did a terrific job.    Susie and Tom please pass out the last of the cookies.  Next week we will talk about new approaches to reducing drug addiction. 
 
Thanks, everyone.  Have a good week.
 
Class:  Goodbye Mr. Jim
 
Ring!  Ring!  Ring!
 
Written February 14, 2017
 

​Grandma says: “Think before you act.”
 
As is true for most children, the maturity of my sense of time was not quick.   My experience of time was that it moved very slowly. Whether I was waiting for Christmas, a birthday, or even for the arrival of the darkness so that I could “sadly” announce that it was too dark to finish an outside chore, time moved very slowly.  It is not surprising that I also had trouble considering the long term -  or often even the short term – consequences of my actions. I found it impossible to appreciate the long term effects of not doing homework, the damage done to one’s reputation for the momentary satisfaction of paying back Tom for his unkind behavior, irritating Susie or rushing through some chore.  I did fully grasp – often after the fact/act - that if I got caught doing any of these things adults, including and especially Grandma Fannie, would be displeased.    Pleasing Grandma Fannie was very important to me.  On the other hand, often my primary fear with parents and teachers was getting caught.
 
I was a naturally curious child and was eager to experiment.  If an adult told me not to do something, I needed to find out for myself what would happen if I took action X.  Sometimes, as is true with all good scientists, I repeated the experiment several times, usually without changing or manipulating any of the variables.  Obviously, even Grandma Fannie did not understand the basic rules of scientific inquiry. I clearly understood.   So, what if I did not change or manipulate any of the variables.
 
In short the wisdom of thinking before one acts is lost on children until or unless the consequences are so grave that even the child cannot avoid knowing that one must sometimes “think before one acts.”   For me living with the guilt of using my mother’s racism week after week, month after month and year after year clearly brought home the wisdom of Grandma Fannie’s teaching.
 
Obviously, it is only as one understands the basic principles of systems theory as they apply to all aspects of this life journey and as one accepts the theoretical construct of time that one more fully grasps the importance of thinking before one acts.
 
I am not suggesting that wise adults quit implanting these pearls of wisdom to young children. I am suggesting that they follow their own advice.  My grandparent eagerly awaited the first evidence that, in fact, those seeds they had so carefully planted were going to result in a crop, but they accepted that this process took time.   They did not expect immediate results.  Yet with children we sometimes expect that they will grasp what their young minds are not yet capable of comprehending.  I think Grandma Fannie knew that she was just planting seeds which needed to germinate for many years.  She clearly understood that soil nutrients, weather, other parts of nature as well as individual variations in seeds or bulbs would affect how, when or even if germination would occur. She also instinctively knew the same applied to teaching children. 
 
As parents, teachers, aunts, uncles and coaches we need to remember that our job is just to plant seeds. The ability to think before we act requires careful cultivation over time in the right soil under optimal conditions.  Luck and/or divine intervention also are key ingredients. Perhaps only when we have lived long enough to be grandparents ourselves, wisdom can begin to germinate.
 
Written February 13, 2016
 

​Diversity and filters
 
I was thinking this morning about diversity in terms of many factors – race, culture, age, sexual orientation, political views, nationality, wealth, and any other factors which can be used to divide we humans.   While at the gym this morning:
I noticed for the first time, a number of banners on the wall.  Usually I am observing the busy activity of the gym especially while I doing aerobic exercise.  This morning there were few people present and I noticed that there were banners for the NRA and well as some others which do not represent my point of view.  
·      I was listening to several TED talks. One of the talks was by Eli Pariser entitled “Filter Bubbles” and another was by Kio Stark entitled “Why you should talk to strangers.”
 
I often tell myself that I am very blessed to have a variety of friends and acquaintances who represent many of the diverse groups of people I mentioned in my first sentence.  They challenge me to think outside the boxes into which I often place ideas and activities.  For example, many of my friends and acquaintances have political views which are much different than mine. What they see as good for the body politic may be the polar opposite of what I think. 
 
I am also a reader and an avid user of the internet.   Several times a day I am looking up information on the internet via google. Until I heard the talk by Mr. Pariser I had naively assumed that if two people type in the same search word or subject they would access the same options.  Apparently, this is not the case. There are filters which select a list of options based, in part, on one’s past search history. 
 
I was already aware that some of the printed periodical publications I select to read are more likely to represent certain points of view. Naturally I tell myself that I am selecting material which has a less slanted point of view than some other printed matter I could select.  The same is true when I listen solely to National Public Radio. 
 
I have long been aware that when I am using public transportation I am brought into direct contact with a variety of people whereas when I use a private car there is just me and any passengers I might have chosen.  Unless I am being intentional about listening to someone on the radio who or on a podcast that has views which are divergent then mine, I am using the time to reinforce what I already believe.
 
When selecting books to read I am sometimes very intentional about reading those authors who offer a view which is going to challenge what I think.  Perhaps  I could benefit from doing this more often.
 
As I examine my own habits and take note of the filtering which is being done without my permission and previously without my knowledge, I am more aware that if I want to do my best to be truly educated on the issues which affect all of us I will have to be more intentionally creative.
 
Thankfully, Ted Talks presenters often alert me to the ways in which I limit my thinking.   Obviously, limited thinking leads to less informed action.
 
If this is true for me, it must be true for others including our school-age children.  We must do more to ensure that they have the tools they need to interact with a diverse group of people with diverse thoughts and opinions.
 
Written February 11, 2011
 

​Sunday Musings – February 12, 2017
 
This quiet Sunday morning, as we approach what many see as a contrived, commercial holiday, Valentine’s Day, I am acutely aware of how much I expect out of the word love.  I “find” myself using the word in contexts such as:
 
·      I love my son.
·      I love my friends including siblings, nieces, and nephews.
·      I loved the snow this week.
·      I love knowing that Ann Marie and Greg are expecting a baby boy in July.
·      I love my computer especially now that it is present without malware bytes.
·      I love my new home.
·      I love food.
·      I loved the visit yesterday with dear friends who in town to celebrate birthdays.
·      I love the Pittsburgh Symphony which I will hear in person for the first time since returning from my relatively brief sojourn in Florida.
·      I love the miracle of healing.
·      I love art.
·      I love how I feel after exercising.
·      I love falling in love with love.
 
In each of these situations the word describes a feeling of peace, contentment, gratitude, enjoyment, excitement, possibility, passion, closeness or sometimes, all of these. 
 
Not even the Greeks coined enough words to describes all of these relationships although they offered these choices:
 
·      Agape – love of God, love/Grace of God, children, spouse.
·      Eros – mostly used for sexual passion.
·       Philia – affectionate regard between equals.  Aristotle would have said a dispassionate love.
·      Storge – affectionate love - especially of parents and children.                                                                                                    
 
(For a fuller discussion google “Greek words for love.”)
 
 
As the reader, will note, none of the Greek words give me permission for my use of the word to describe my relationship with substances or inanimate objects. Certainly, I am not likely to purchase a special meal, chocolates, or flowers to honor my relationship with food, my malware free computer, the snow, or other events, substances or objects.   I could and have sent Valentine cards to special friends, my son, a spouse or lover.   I did not do so this year although the thought of my son and many friends bring a smile to my heart.
 
Perhaps I could resolve to be a bit more respectful of the language and, thus, more intentional, in my choice of words to describe my various relationships. I could, for example, say that I am grateful for the gift of my working computer.  I could take the time to describe the sensations of texture, aroma, taste, and gratitude for my relationship with food.  I might find more accurate, descriptive words to describe my sense of gratitude and humility for the gift of a home which has heat, air conditioning, a private bath with indoor plumbing, and my very own washer and dryer to use whenever I choose. 
 
It does seem, perhaps, my liberal use of the word love is a mere convenience or a symptom of my rushing through life rather than being present with life.  Certainly, despite my professed love of language, I am often guilty of more than a bit of inaccurate sloppiness.  Yet, as I put “pen to paper” or more accurately fingers to the keyboard, I “love” the magic which happens! 
 
Written February 12, 2017
 

​Love, LOVE, love
 
The February 9. 2017 podcast of On Being features a conversation with the host Krista Tippett and Alain De Botton, “the founder and chairman of The School of Life.  His books include Religion for Atheists,  How Proust can Change Your Life,  and the novel The Course of Love.   The title of the podcast is “The True hard work of love and relationships.” 
 
During the course of the conversation Mr. De Botton makes what I think is a very self-evident and, yet, profound statement.  He says: “So, the acceptance of ourselves as flawed creatures seems to me what love really is.”   
 
As I think of my own journey as a human which includes a multitude of relationships with parents, other relatives, romantic and non-romantic friendships, my son and, yes, myself I am aware that my reluctance in acceptance of the flawed/imperfect nature of us humans has resulted in a lot of pain for myself and all those whose lives have intersected with mine.
 
I cannot possibly count the number of times I have been “shocked” by having to face the fact that I or another person was less than perfect. As Ms. Tippett and Mr. D. Botton remind the listener, part of the nature of the imperfection of our humanness is the expectation that others will behave in a way which is consistent with our needs and values. We experience the same with ourselves.  Often we have such a difficult time accepting the reality of the humanness of ourselves and others that we go to great lengths to mask this reality.  Yet, every program of healing and emotional or spiritual growth demands that one out oneself as human.   The 12- step program captures this in the step for all those seeking to overcome an active addiction.  Jesus modeled this acceptance.  Buddhist teachings often advise students to just notice what is and to quit feeding the lies meant to hide the extent of our shared humanness.   Often religious groups practice a rite of confession within the context of “All have sinned and …”
 
In short everyone “knows” and, everyone knows that everyone knows and, yet ….
 
The bully generally attempts to feel better about himself or herself by demeaning someone else who is struggling with self-acceptance.   The marriage partner often attempts to convince their partner that their opinion or way of doing something is the right way of doing it.  The addict so often is running from the shame of their humanness.
 
It occurs to me that much of what I do professionally as a counselor would be unnecessary if acceptance of our shared humanness was easier.   Naturally this would entail acceptance of our gifts as well as our faults and limitations. The bully would not need to bully.   The marriage or business partners would be able to focus on formulating a new solution which might entail a compromise.  Buildings and all their furnishings would be designed for beauty and the purpose or use for which it was designed. We would not need to be better than and would celebrate the improvements and innovations of others.
 
Alas the very nature of our humanness is going to continue to make this level of humility a journey rather than a destination.  Still, even as we travel this journey we might allow for a sense of humor as we accept responsibility for not only our own humanness but our “need” to only associate with those perfect robots who are more human than we are.  What??
 
Written February 10, 2017
 

​The silence of the snow
 
This morning  i and, I understand, large sections of this part of the country awoke to a blanket of snow.  Two of my favorite poems are a tribute to snow. The first is:
 
 
Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening
 
BY ROBERT FROST
 
Whose woods these are I think I know.   
His house is in the village though;   
He will not see me stopping here   
To watch his woods fill up with snow.   
 
My little horse must think it queer   
To stop without a farmhouse near   
Between the woods and frozen lake   
The darkest evening of the year.   
 
He gives his harness bells a shake   
To ask if there is some mistake.   
The only other sound’s the sweep   
Of easy wind and downy flake.   
 
The woods are lovely, dark and deep,   
But I have promises to keep,   
And miles to go before I sleep,   
And miles to go before I sleep.
 
(poetryfoundation.org)
 
The second is more whimsical.
 
Winter Poem
By Nikki Giovanni
 
once a snowflake fell  
on my brow and i loved  
it so much and i kissed  
it and it was happy and called its cousins  
and brothers and a web  
of snow engulfed me then  
i reached to love them all  
and i squeezed them and they became  
a spring rain and i stood perfectly  
still and was a flower    
 
(poetrysoup.com)
 
Both poems are a poignant reminder that sometimes – daily really – I need to just be still and wait for the magic of the miracle.   We are living at a time when we are inundated with the needs of our brother and sister humans, mother earth and the universe.  One hardly knows what need to which to attend. If not careful, one quickly morphs into that state which many social scientists are referring to as psychic numbness which freezes our mind and body.
 
I, for one, have to be very intentional about limiting my intake of news and commentary. Even then it is often difficult to focus on small, realistic goals.  Yet, on snowy mornings such as this I can set aside the “miles to go before I sleep” and stand still while the snowflake brings the spring rain which brings the flower.  In that moment nothing else matters. The snow creates a cocoon of silence and stillness.   Of course, I know that space is available to me no matter what the weather, but I occasionally need the arrival of such a cocoon in which the quiet stills my mind and my spirit.  Then for that moment all is exactly as it should be as I put promises aside and await the spring flower.
 
Written February 9, 2017
 
 

​School Bells – Current Affairs – Grade 1 – week 24
Helping each other in school
 
I did not meet with the first-grade scholars last week because I was in the process of moving to a house I had just purchased.   I am eager to meet with them this week.  
 
I hear them coming now.
 
Me:  Good morning class.  I am happy to see all of you.  Yes, before you ask, I brought cookies.
 
Class:  Yea.  Thank you, Mr. Jim.
 
Me:  Ahmes and Sue will you pass out the cookies please?
 
The cookies are soon passed out and apparently inhaled.
 
Me: The assignment was for you and your families to discuss what you would like to see done when someone is not doing well in school.  Who is ready to share what you and your family recommends?
 
Tara:  When we have a problem at home we find out the reason for the problem.
 
Me:  That makes sense but what are you saying about dealing with kids who are having problems in school.
 
Tara:  Dad said that when he was in school if someone was not doing well they were called lazy or bad.  He and mom said that there are a lot of reasons why someone might be having a difficult time.
 
Sam: We talked about the fact that mom, dad or you, Uncle Jim, are always there to help us with homework.    We know kids who only have one parent and they are working. There is no one to help them.
 
Me:  So if we labeled them as bad or lazy that is not identifying the problem.  What should we do if there is no one to help someone with their homework?
 
Sam:  We could invite them to our house.
 
Tara:  One of the parents who is available could come to the school.
 
Me:  That is an idea but then the kids would miss the bus and could not get home.  What if a parent could not pick them up?
 
Tara: We talked about that and if there were several kids, we did not know if the parent driving them home would be allowed to do that.  Would their car then become a school bus?
 
Me: Good thinking.  So, we would need to find out that information.  
 
Sam:  Some of the kids in our grade live close enough to walk.  That is not true for Paul’s class.
 
Me: That is a good point Sam.
 
Steve:  Sometimes I do not do homework because the teaches just screams at me for mistakes.  If I am supposed to be learning, why do they scream at me?
 
Me: That is an excellent point. You think that homework should be part of the process of seeing what someone needs help with.
 
Class:  Yes!!!
 
Susie:  It is fun when I get everything right and the teacher is happy and gives me a star or something.
 
Me:  Yes, we all like to get praise, but I am hearing that we should get praise for trying to learn and not just because we know something.  What else did families recommend?
 
Tommy:  In pre-school some kids did really well in reading but I had a tough time. Just recently it became easier for me.
 
Me: Great point.  What do you think happened Tommy?
 
Tommy:  My mom and dad said that sometimes brains are not ready at the same time.
 
Me:  That is a great point Tommy.
 
Sofia:  My mom said that sometimes bad things are happening at home and school is not that important.
 
Me:  Great point Sofia.  Sometimes it is difficult for kids to talk about what is happening at home. Sometimes families do not want kids telling others.
 
Ahmes:  We are very worried if the president is going to make some of us go back even though we are here legally.
 
Susie: What if someone is here illegally?  That would be scary Mr. Jim
 
Me:  Yes it would.  When I am worried, it is hard for me to learn.
 
Tommy:  The mother of one of my friends is dying of cancer. She cries all the time.
 
Me:  It sounds as if everyone is saying that there may be a lot of reasons why someone is not doing well in school. We need to get better at finding out the reason. With any problem, we need to know the cause of the problem before we try to fix it, don’t we?
 
Ahmes:  My mother said that sometimes the class is very large and the teacher does not have a lot of extra time for all the kids.
 
Me: That is a good point Ahmes. We cannot put all the responsibilities on the teachers.
 
Sam: Everyone seems really busy and not everyone has an Uncle Jim to help and a tiny class as this one.
 
Me: That is an excellent point Sam. 
 
Sue:  Near us is a home for old people.   Some of the kids adopted a grandparent but then they adopted the kid and were helping with homework and stuff.  I go see Mrs. Ella twice a week.  She is really nice.  I can tell her anything.
 
Me:  That is a great program Sue.  I wonder why that does not happen more?
 
Sue:  There are a lot of old people who can still do a lot.
 
Me:  That is true   I hear everyone saying that when we act like a big family instead of just a bunch of little families we can do more.
 
Steve:  My aunt designs houses and she says that we can build neighborhoods which make it easier for people to get to know each other.
 
Me:  Great point Steve.   I was reading the other day about some tall apartment buildings being built in a way that encourages neighbors to get to know each other.
 
Steve:  My aunt showed me a program on the computer where we could play with buildings.
 
Me:  Those are great fun. Once again I had a great time today.  You are all amazing.  Time is nearly up.  Sofia and Sam, will you pass out the rest of the cookies please?
 
They do so and again they quickly disappear.
 
Me:  Between now and next week let’s talk with our families about the importance of dreaming about who we want to be and how we make those dreams come true.   Have a good week everyone?
 
Class:  Goodbye Mr.  Jim
 
Ring!  Ring!  Ring!
 
Written February 8, 2017
 

​School Bells – Current Affairs – Grade 8 – week 24
Young People and future of political office
 
Last week because I was in the process of moving to a house I just purchased, I had to cancel meeting with the 8thgraders.  I missed meeting with them and am excited to see them   They are arriving now.
 
Me: Good morning class.
 
Class: Good morning Mr. Jim. Cookies?
 
Me: Yes. I have cookies.  Abdul and Susie, will you pass them out please?
 
They pass out the cookies which are quickly consumed.  
 
Me:  I missed meeting with you last week while I was in the process of moving to the house I just purchased.  I am eager to hear your thoughts about whether young people such as you are going to be willing to run for political office.  How will the expense and social media affect your willingness to run for office and assume community leadership?
 
Will:  When our family recently joined others for the Martin Luther King Jr. peace march in our community there were a lot of young families and kids my age.  The new mayor was also there. Some of us talked about it feeling as if it was our community.  Reverend said we have to take ownership of power to make a difference.
 
Me:  That is great.  It sounds as if you are saying that at the local level it feels doable.   How did you and others use social media?
 
Will:  A lot of us posted photos and quotes from the talks that day.  A lot of other kids commented on the photos and the quotes.
 
Ann:  We went to the Martin Luther’s King’s march and then my mother, sister and I went to the women’s march. I liked the fact that it felt like a big, friendly family.  We also posted a lot of photos on Facebook. A lot of people left comments.
 
Me; Did you get any negative responses or comments?
 
Ann: Not many and if we did we just thanked everyone for their comments.  We did not tell people that they were wrong. 
 
Me. That sounds much different than what happened during the recent presidential election.
 
Will: We did the same thing. Some of the older folks in our church who marched with Martin Luther King Jr.  held classes on using   a positive response and not reacting to anger with anger. They said that non-violence is important in social medial also.
 
Amena: In our family, we talked a lot about how to listen if we really want to know what people are worried about.  We felt that a lot of people in the presidential election just talked at each other and not about what was important to each other.  We have to start doing that in small groups.
 
Me:  How does that get us to big, expensive elections?
 
Tom:  We talked about that. Our family wants to know more about how everyone got together for the women’s march.  Who were the famous leaders?  Apparently, there was a committee which raised money for food, facilities and entertainment, but mostly it was local people organizing.
 
Me:  That is fascinating. I understand that the original idea came from a grandmother in Hawaii.
 
Susie: We heard that no one got arrested and there was no violence.
 
Me: That is what I heard also.  
 
Ann: I am not sure that the same methods will work in a presidential election but it does seem as if most of the organizing was on the local level and then a group of women leaders from various fields organizing the events in Washington, D.C.
 
Me: It sounds as you are saying a lot of the important organization takes places on the local level.
 
John:  My parents said that when they were young most of the election work that they did was on the local level.  People talked to each other, helped each other and believed in something.
 
Adult:  There has been a lot of fear in my community   Our family talked about how we could help our neighbors who are fearful.
 
Me; Let’s see if I can begin to summarize what I hear you saying.  The key points you seem to be suggesting are:
1.     Be positive.
2.    Listen to each other.
3.    Organize and get involved at the local level.
4.    Share on social media but in positive way.
5.    Non-violence - verbal and physical.
6.    Ownership of community local, state and national.
7.    Pay attention who what others care about.
 
Abdul: Our family thinks that last one is very important.  
 
Me: Say more about that.
 
Abdul:  It is like if someone is fearful of not having a good job we can all understand that.  Rather than telling coal miners that coal is bad, we need to focus on what we can do to help each other have good paying jobs.  If someone is concerned how high cost of insurance, we have to talk about a better way to get health care. Talk about what we agree on such as jobs and good health care and then explore options.
 
Me: Are you suggesting that we focus on what we have in common and then explore ways of dealing with those common needs/wants?
 
Abdul. Yes, Mr.  Jim.
 
Me: We can also stress that point in our list.  I am so impressed with your creativity, passion and positivity.  We are nearly out of time.     Ann and Tom, will you pass out the rest of the cookies please?    Next week unless there are some other concerns we will talk about refugees. Do they add to or drain our economy?  Can it be make easier for people from other countries to practice their professions here?
 
Have a good week.
 
Class.  Bye Mr. Jim.
 
Ring!  Ring!  Ring!
 
Written February 7, 2017