This is what I want to do.
Why you ask? Why wouldn't I want to teach in a Catholic school, I mean lets be honest you went to a very Catholic college...so why not be a Catholic school teacher?
It is simple...they don't need me.
I mean yes they need teachers...but the students in public schools need me in a different kind of way.
It is hard, indeed, to be a Catholic teacher in a public school. Don't get me wrong. All of my actual teaching experiences so far have been in public schools.
You cannot teach your faith, you cannot speak up about certain things that you believe to be wrong and society believes to be right. And what happens during that moment when one of your little ones does start talking about the faith?
It is DIFFICULT...but it can be so rewarding.
Public schools...they have a lot of poor kids right? Depends on where you live...but the schools I want to teach in do indeed have plenty of examples of poverty.
A student over here doesn't have a bed; not even a mattress. This one isn't eating properly because mom can't afford it. This one's water has been turned off...and this one's electricity. These students are on the adopt a family list and if no one steps up it will be a disappointing Christmas morning for them.
Heartbreak...sadness...all you want to do is adopt every single one of them right? but you can't....but you can have hope...
How? How can there be hope with such sadness?
Because, with God all things are possible.
Because with God there is hope...even if I cannot directly help those students after they leave my classroom, I can pray for them. I can ask God to watch over them. I can pray that someone is put in their path that CAN help them financially, even though I cannot.
I cannot tell them I am praying for them, they may never find out, because we are in a public school, but I will pray for them. Students in a Catholic school...the way I see it, they're covered...they are in the good hands of their teachers already...Students in a public school though, they are the ones I want to help.
Sunday, December 29, 2013
Thursday, December 19, 2013
Poverty is not a Cycle...
IT IS A CHALLENGE!
Let's talk about poverty for a second here...Many people you would not expect are living well below the poverty level...I did for a good chunk of my life...yup that's right...but this post isn't about me (you could read about me in a different post)...its about the way the world views poverty...
Now I know that the cycle of poverty is a real thing...very real indeed...but it doesn't have to be...
We talk about the cycle, we are taught about the cycle, and we hear about the cycle again and again and again...A poor family receives aid from the government; they begin to rely on it too heavily...and then they have kids who learn to do the same...
Well OK I get that...their families teach them it is ok to live off of the government's aid and be poor for the rest of their lives...So now the cycle is taking over...but...but ... but IT DOESN'T HAVE TO
First things first...there are families, who although considered poor by every label any research has ever dished out manage to live life normally...Now your normally and my normally are potentially different...So maybe the heat doesn't get turned on until the temperature outside is very cold...maybe name brand is something unheard of...maybe hand-me-downs and bags of clothes from random people are thought of as the best thing in the world...but hey those aren't the worst things in the world
These families carry themselves normally and do not mope about their financial situation. They are proactive and find as many solutions as they can to their problems rather than complaining, moping and burdening their children with their financial problems. Heck in some of these families, the kids don't even realize they are poor...these families care; they stress the importance of education and hard work. A little hard work can go a long way. These families are what we call resilient.
What about families that aren't resilient you ask? Those who don't know how to stress the importance of getting out of poverty before it can become a cycle? Those families who need someone to tell them that they can break the cycle?
There it is...THEY NEED SOMEONE TO TELL THEM THAT THEY CAN BREAK THE CYCLE
Why is the cycle so prevalent in today's society? Well sure because there is quite the build up of generation after generation after generation of poverty in some of these families...the kids don't know any better...someone needs to tell them they can get out...
someone needs to BELIEVE in them
The cycle can indeed be broken...is it hard to do? Oh yes it is a challenge for sure! ...but it can be done.
Someone needs to show these kids that it is worth it to work towards a better life. They are stuck in the illusion that they don't need to work because the government gives them enough to live off of...I mean who wouldn't love to live for free...but is that really all there is to life? A limited budget, government housing, maybe a part time job to get extra groceries? There can be so much more with a little work...sure the beginning will be difficult...and hard...but in the long run they will be earning their own money and living in their own apartments or houses and buying their own food, and who knows maybe able to help other people.
Kids need someone in their life to show them that work can be a good thing. That there are jobs people actually like doing. They just need to explore their interests...what? People would actually pay me to do something I like? Yes, yes they will.
Can you be that person? Can you go out into the world, and in some small way inspire someone? Can you show them that there is more? That reading and learning are useful? That working is rewarding? Can you?
Let's talk about poverty for a second here...Many people you would not expect are living well below the poverty level...I did for a good chunk of my life...yup that's right...but this post isn't about me (you could read about me in a different post)...its about the way the world views poverty...
Now I know that the cycle of poverty is a real thing...very real indeed...but it doesn't have to be...
We talk about the cycle, we are taught about the cycle, and we hear about the cycle again and again and again...A poor family receives aid from the government; they begin to rely on it too heavily...and then they have kids who learn to do the same...
Well OK I get that...their families teach them it is ok to live off of the government's aid and be poor for the rest of their lives...So now the cycle is taking over...but...but ... but IT DOESN'T HAVE TO
First things first...there are families, who although considered poor by every label any research has ever dished out manage to live life normally...Now your normally and my normally are potentially different...So maybe the heat doesn't get turned on until the temperature outside is very cold...maybe name brand is something unheard of...maybe hand-me-downs and bags of clothes from random people are thought of as the best thing in the world...but hey those aren't the worst things in the world
These families carry themselves normally and do not mope about their financial situation. They are proactive and find as many solutions as they can to their problems rather than complaining, moping and burdening their children with their financial problems. Heck in some of these families, the kids don't even realize they are poor...these families care; they stress the importance of education and hard work. A little hard work can go a long way. These families are what we call resilient.
What about families that aren't resilient you ask? Those who don't know how to stress the importance of getting out of poverty before it can become a cycle? Those families who need someone to tell them that they can break the cycle?
There it is...THEY NEED SOMEONE TO TELL THEM THAT THEY CAN BREAK THE CYCLE
Why is the cycle so prevalent in today's society? Well sure because there is quite the build up of generation after generation after generation of poverty in some of these families...the kids don't know any better...someone needs to tell them they can get out...
someone needs to BELIEVE in them
The cycle can indeed be broken...is it hard to do? Oh yes it is a challenge for sure! ...but it can be done.
Someone needs to show these kids that it is worth it to work towards a better life. They are stuck in the illusion that they don't need to work because the government gives them enough to live off of...I mean who wouldn't love to live for free...but is that really all there is to life? A limited budget, government housing, maybe a part time job to get extra groceries? There can be so much more with a little work...sure the beginning will be difficult...and hard...but in the long run they will be earning their own money and living in their own apartments or houses and buying their own food, and who knows maybe able to help other people.
Kids need someone in their life to show them that work can be a good thing. That there are jobs people actually like doing. They just need to explore their interests...what? People would actually pay me to do something I like? Yes, yes they will.
Can you be that person? Can you go out into the world, and in some small way inspire someone? Can you show them that there is more? That reading and learning are useful? That working is rewarding? Can you?
Friday, December 6, 2013
Take my Heart Lord
So I'm packing up my apartment because I finished college and it is time for me to move out!!!
While going through things and deciding what I actually need to keep I found this which I wrote as a song in high school...I wrote it to be a song, but can only remember how the chorus was supposed to sound...here goes
While going through things and deciding what I actually need to keep I found this which I wrote as a song in high school...I wrote it to be a song, but can only remember how the chorus was supposed to sound...here goes
Take my Heart Lord
Take my heart Lord
And do with it what you will.
I am yours Lord,
All of me may you fill
Let me grow
Teach me to show
Your glory every day.
Help me to love
The Godhead above
In every single way.
Take my heart Lord
And do with it what you will.
I am yours Lord,
All of me may you fill.
I give myself to you,
Trusting all you do.
Please show me the way.
I'll love you Lord
With every chord
For your people I play.
Take my heart Lord,
And do with it what you will.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)