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Your daily experiences are a valuable part of what your child learns for many reasons. You are dedicated to ensuring they reach developmental milestones such as first words and steps, and even the first potty trip. As your child makes progress on these firsts, you are creating the foundation on which all other skills are built.
The Russian Civil War ended not so long ago. Young Komsomol member and a former Red Army soldier, Dyuyshen, travels to a remote village where he takes up his post as the new teacher for the children of the village. His enthusiasm to bring new ideas immediately faces a centuries-old tradition of life in Central Asia. The former soldier tries to improve the children's literacy but faces opposition from their Muslim parents who, moreover, look unfavorably on the idea of a girl joining the school. Dyuyshen meets Altynai, a 15-year-old illiterate girl who has a burning desire to study, but her aunt sells her to a powerful and wealthy chieftain. The school is burned down. The film ends with the promise of it being rebuilt using a centuries-old tree which had been a source of pride to the villagers.
The TIR program provides a one-year pathway to become a lead teacher at Achievement First. During the course of the residency, TIRs receive high quality professional development, work alongside our strongest teachers, and gain hands-on experience in the classroom through co-teaching and small group instruction. TIRs gain increased responsibilities in classroom instruction throughout the year so that they are prepared to become lead teachers by the end of the year.
A great way to influence parents spiritually and equip them is through spiritual milestones. These are direct opportunities to speak directly into their lives and give them the tools they need to raise their kids to know God's Word, wisdom and way of salvation. You can get more information about the milestone strategy at this link.
I have often shared an illustration about this verse. When you are flying and they are going through the pre-flight safety instructions, they bring out a mask. This mask is used in case there is a shortage of oxygen in the cabin. It comes down from overhead. Remember what they say to do if you are traveling with a child? They say to put your mask on first and then on the child. Why do they say that? Because, if you pass out, you can't help your child put on theirs.
The same applies to a parent. If you want to have spiritually healthy children, then you must first make sure you are fulfilling God's calling as your child's first teacher. You must walk the talk and be an example of what it means to love God with all your heart, mind and soul.
Many people think Confucius was the first teacher. He was born in China in 551 B.C.E. History tells us little about his early life. His father died when he was young. Confucius grew up poor, raised by his mother. He likely did not go to school and was self-taught. He studied music, history, and math.
Along with going to college, new teachers may spend time in the classrooms of mentor teachers. This practice is called cadet teaching in some countries or student teaching in the United States. The student teacher plans and presents lessons under the guidance of the mentor teacher.
Teachers have many important roles in their communities. They help students learn and manage how learners act in their classrooms. However, teachers also plan lessons and create content to use with their students. They might do research to improve their teaching or belong to professional groups. Many communities view teachers as leaders.
Are you WONDERing about other professions? Who taught the first engineer to design a bridge? How did the first lawyer learn to practice law? Who trained the first dentist? Every profession began with people who tried something in a new way. What new professions might exist when you get a job?
While everyone remembers with laughter how an uneducated person, who read by syllables, taught children the basics of reading and writing, Altynai alone appears disturbed. The artist notices that she is intently gazing at the yellowed poplars on the hill swaying in the breeze. Her face looks pensive and sad. She seems no more an academician to him, but just an ordinary Kirghiz woman. She hastily leaves Kurkureu in pretence of urgent work in Moscow promising to return again. The artist tries to know if someone upset her. She denies and replies if she has any grievances, it is only against herself.
Duishen, a devotee of the Russian leader Lenin, overcomes not only vicissitudes of the locals, but also nature. Battling the weather, he carries small children across the river during huge snowfall. He did not have enough education, but this was compensated by the warmth and conviction of his righteousness. The poplar trees they both plant form a link between the past and the present. The tall poplar trees stand as witness to the love of a student for her teacher and the conviction the teacher had in his student. How he rescues Altynai from her evil aunt, the sacrifices he makes, and how he raises her status to a Soviet scientist forms the crux of the story. And how a little encouragement in a tender age helps to go a long way cannot be emphasized better than this!
Before having a child of my own, I was an elementary school science teacher. I took great pride in my profession. I was opening young minds to the mysterious world of science, creating wondrous explorers and question askers. I was shaping the future, one child at a time. In retrospect, however, I don't think I really understood the true value of a teacher until I became a mother.
My choice to step away from the classroom after the birth of my son was a very conscientious one. It was a true gift to spend the first three years of my son's life by his side -- an overwhelmingly exhausting, joy-filled gift. When the time came for preschool applications, I realized that being an educator and a stay-at-home mom in the most competitive cities in the country made my standards for preschools ridiculously high. Somehow, I managed to find a school that met my very high standards. Before I knew it, I was filling out immunization forms, buying backpacks, and packing lunches. Before I knew it, he was letting go of my hand and holding on to the hand of another.
A very special little boy -- the apple of my eye, the one who brings me more joy than I ever thought possible -- will leave my care and saunter into your classroom today. Please don't mind my tear-stained face, raspy voice, and clenched fists held close to my chest. You see, dear teacher, my heart is filled to brim with emotion on this momentous day.
I assure you, this letter is not filled with requests. I will not ask you to love my child, to care for him, and treat him like your own. I will not ask you to understand his uniqueness and appreciate his strengths. I will not ask you to guide him, challenge him, or encourage his independence.
You are a teacher. You have not chosen a profession, you have chosen a way of being. You have undergone years of training, taken on a small mortgage in student debt, and chosen the most thankless of jobs -- simply to feed your passion. You see great value in your work. You have chosen the challenging path of transforming lives and shaping our future. That, in itself, drives you day-in and day-out.
Each day, you choose to love. You know the importance of a warm, secure environment for a young child, and you hold nothing back. Your love and support gives my child wings to explore and experience the new world that surrounds him. But, this gift comes at a price. I see the exhaustion on your face at the end of the day. You are psychologically, physically, and emotionally worn from the day's work. But, you will undoubtedly return the next day. You will greet each child at the door with your kind eyes and warm smile. That is because you, dear teacher, are a warrior.
As each child walks through the door, you see the incredible beauty in their individuality. You appreciate their uniqueness without an inkling of judgment. You know the fate of the human race lies in our ability to appreciate and understand of each other's differences, and you embody this in everything that you do. You work relentlessly to build a community of empathetic, compassionate, and accepting individuals who will grow to be courteous, kind, and loving.
I see you carefully observing the children as they explore the classroom you have so thoughtfully prepared. You evaluate whether their individual needs are being met, and you let the children guide your teaching. You strive to pique each child's interests, fostering the cultivation of a life-long learner. That small spark of curiosity you have so carefully ignited will grow. It will grow into an incredible wildfire that will fuel the next generation of innovators and creative thinkers.
And, so, dear teacher, this letter is not filled with requests. I will not ask you to love, appreciate, and guide my child because I know you will do all of these things and then some.
This letter is filled with overwhelming gratitude. Thank you for loving my child, for caring for him, and treating him like your own. Thank you for understanding his quirks and appreciating his uniqueness. Thank you for understanding his needs, being his guide as explores the world around him, and encouraging his curiosity. Thank you for doing all that you do each and every day. Thank you for being his teacher.
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