This Much I Know is True 

by Margaret Denny

One week ago today, we departed Houston for Concepcion. It seems as though that was a time period so long ago and far away. How could so little time go by yet it does not seem to be the case?

We have already had some adventures, most good and some that were not so good such as wrecking the rental car when we were side swiped by an 18 wheeler.  It is quite an adventure to go through that in a foreign country!

Our first few days at the Thomas Jefferson School have been incredible as have our first days in this country. I love watching the students come into the school every morning! Most of the young ones are escorted completely into the school by a parent or other family member. The very little ones come in completely bundled up from head to toe (it is winter here, after all) resembling bright, colorful, walking mummies! What strikes me most of all is the happiness of the children as they come in every morning.

There is a stark contrast between the greeting procedures by teachers of students in our schools and how things are done back in the states. Instead of barking at students about tucking their shirts in, fastening their belts,  scurrying to get in place, etc., these students here at TJS are greeted with a hug and a kiss on the top of their little heads by their teachers (this is a pattern in the elementary grades). From the moment they arrive in their classrooms, the actions of their teachers convey to them that they are loved and respected.  Imagine how this simple morning ritual might convey a different  meaning to our students every day and how this simple gesture might change the tone of the day for them, opening up their little minds for the day’s intake of knowledge rather than setting a tone of punishment and apprehension for what might happen to them next.  One can only imagine that for many of our children, this is a much more acceptable way of doing things. In “loco parentis” (Latin phrase that translates “in the absence of parents”) takes on its true meaning in this land.

One thing I know about many of the students we work with in the states is that their young lives, far too often, are not very pleasant. Many of them get shuffled around from relative to relative, leave for school in the mornings without breakfast, and go to bed at night without dinner. They may not see a parent for days on end; they may not know where they will lay their head at night until it actually happens.  For many of them, their lives are filled with chaos and confusion, apprehension and fear. They come to the one place where they should know they will be loved and safe…school.

Far too often we, as teachers, reinforce the notion that even school is not somewhere to feel emotionally safe. We look for ways to punish them, to force them into compliance with really stupid things  (,i.e. keeping their shirts tucked in, not moving a muscle for 60 minute blocks of time). How many of us at 6 years old really cared about tucking our shirts in or keeping our belts on? Young children are seeking direction from the adults they come in contact with. They mimic the behaviors they see and experience. If we want them to behave differently in school, then we must set the example for them. If we want them to be kind to others, be helpful, and respectful, then we must, in turn, demonstrate this behavior to them. Far too often the skill sets for the expectations we set have not been taught making it impossible for our students to meet those expectations. We, as teachers, set them up for failure.

In a nut shell, if people are treated with care, compassion, love and respect, then it becomes much more likely that they, in turn, with treat others the same way. Wait…isn’t this what we referred to long ago as the “Golden Rule”?  When did we allow it to become the tarnished rule? Where do we find that polishing cloth that will bring back the luster to the lives of our children we work with in our own country?  This much I know is true…we must give some serious consideration to the things that truly matter in the lives of children…in my mind, acceptance is a very good start.