"They may forget what you said, but they will never forget how you made them feel."
Carl W. Buehner
Carl W. Buehner
Dear Reader,
The "Pay-off" for a true teacher in education is the reward we feel from witnessing growth in the children we serve. We are rewarded when a former student comes back to visit us. Or, when a parent calls the school and expresses his/her heartfelt gratitude for a service or interaction we may have had with one of their children. Maybe we touched their lives in some way? Maybe they touched ours? True happiness comes from doing the most for others. This is not arguable and challenge anyone to discuss otherwise. Therefore, whenever possible build relationships with your students any way you can!
“The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others.” Mahatma Gandhi
When we begin to serve others in life- especially our own family-, we initiate a journey that can help to promote peace and love in all aspects of life; and, the field of education is no different. We must begin to serve the millions of children that fail our system each year by giving them an alternative experience. Therefore, I am trying to serve these children the best way I know how- to get to their hearts first and then their minds. We need to focus on building relationships with kids and one of the best ways to do that is to meet them where they are.
Mrs. Arnold was a parent that I knew when I taught at Lawrence School here in Broadview Hts. Ohio. Her child was in the Chess Club and she was extremely grateful for the positive growth he had clearly experienced while attending Lawrence School.
This is the kind of pay-off that motivates me to never stop attempting to find a place for Chess in our schools. I often wonder how many other mothers or fathers would be this grateful for the positive experience Chess can provide their child. I think ALL of them. |
Ms. Willis- A Chess convert
Attempting to persuade educators that Chess is an excellent teaching tool is difficult to do. There are many reasons for this, but I will not go into them as there are many. Fortunately, I am very stubborn and attempt to continually demonstrate the power that Chess can have on these children's lives to every educator I have the privilege of working with.
This post-card comes from Jenny willis, a fellow friend and colleague- and Chess skeptic. Jenny often wrote off Chess as a means to helping the children we serve until one day she decided to use it with a very troubled and troubling young man that had some interest in Chess. There was a transformation between Jenny and this student in a way that definitely made an impact on their relationship only after a short time after engaging in Chess. The simplicity of building a relationship over such an incredible teaching tool is a major pay-off! |
I am often reminded of the pay-off every time a student expresses his/her heartfelt thanks for making an impact on them in some way.
It's interesting how this young man, Michael, states that he thought of Chess as "just a game." It clearly isn't. Chess and mentoring made a great impact on this young man, as it does all of the children it touches.
In Memory of Mr. Jerry Gruss:
Who allowed me to recognize that developing a relationship is key to saving lives in any arena- be it Chess or Economics.
As I have suggested briefly, an At-Risk child's life is immersed in feelings of constant confusion, depression, anger, frustration, insecurity and social isolation just to name a few. Imagine trying to climb out of that as a child? What tools would you need? What kind of support? If they are as lucky as me, they would find a special someone to help them through this time. It was not until later in my life- and after I dropped out of high school and came back- that I found that special someone. Or, should I say he found me. A teacher by the name of Jerry Gruss changed my life and most likely saved it as well. He did this in part by helping me change the the way I felt about myself through his belief in me and my potential. And, because he believed in me I wanted to please him and, therefore, I studied hard in his economics course to get a good grade and graduate high school. This is significant considering the challenges I was facing as a troubled young man.
A genuine teacher is one that believes in his/her students no matter what the circumstances are surrounding that child and builds on that student's spirit in such a way that it ignites passion, motivation, and success. A genuine teacher is one that knows the way to an At-Risk student's mind is through his/her heart first. When I reflect on Jerry, I know that it wasn't the class he taught that mattered; it was the personal relationship he built with me. He showed me that he cared about me as a person. I mattered. I don't really remember much about the economics course, but I do know how Mr. Gruss made me feel.
It can take a second for a teacher to make an impact on a child that will inevitably help or hurt that child's success in relation to that teacher. Mr. Gruss would agree that approaching an At-Risk child in a manner that is non-threatening is a very delicate process and when that child loathes school and is already struggling academically, socially, and intra-personally it makes it even more difficult to succeed. Let's begin to help these children by making the necessary changes in relation to the children we strive to serve.
RIP Mr. Gruss
Who allowed me to recognize that developing a relationship is key to saving lives in any arena- be it Chess or Economics.
As I have suggested briefly, an At-Risk child's life is immersed in feelings of constant confusion, depression, anger, frustration, insecurity and social isolation just to name a few. Imagine trying to climb out of that as a child? What tools would you need? What kind of support? If they are as lucky as me, they would find a special someone to help them through this time. It was not until later in my life- and after I dropped out of high school and came back- that I found that special someone. Or, should I say he found me. A teacher by the name of Jerry Gruss changed my life and most likely saved it as well. He did this in part by helping me change the the way I felt about myself through his belief in me and my potential. And, because he believed in me I wanted to please him and, therefore, I studied hard in his economics course to get a good grade and graduate high school. This is significant considering the challenges I was facing as a troubled young man.
A genuine teacher is one that believes in his/her students no matter what the circumstances are surrounding that child and builds on that student's spirit in such a way that it ignites passion, motivation, and success. A genuine teacher is one that knows the way to an At-Risk student's mind is through his/her heart first. When I reflect on Jerry, I know that it wasn't the class he taught that mattered; it was the personal relationship he built with me. He showed me that he cared about me as a person. I mattered. I don't really remember much about the economics course, but I do know how Mr. Gruss made me feel.
It can take a second for a teacher to make an impact on a child that will inevitably help or hurt that child's success in relation to that teacher. Mr. Gruss would agree that approaching an At-Risk child in a manner that is non-threatening is a very delicate process and when that child loathes school and is already struggling academically, socially, and intra-personally it makes it even more difficult to succeed. Let's begin to help these children by making the necessary changes in relation to the children we strive to serve.
RIP Mr. Gruss
