My WHY: What Motivates Me in the Classroom?

Dear Readers-

I wasn't always a forward thinker- a planner. yes.- but I wasn't always so intentional about the big picture.

Well, when your heart changes to see the value (worth) of human LIFE- you backtrack in thought ALOT of how things came to be and whether there was anything in your scope of influence that could have potentially changed it.  

Many times. the answer is a sad NO...but there have been a few times I've gotten a couple key themes that come to mind -They are as follows:

EXPECTATIONS.

BOUNDARIES. 

ACCOUNTABILITY.

Even in thoughts of my own life- Do I have expectations for myself and my time?  Am I setting the right boundaries to protect my purposes?  Am I allowing OTHER people in my life to actually hold me accountable?

All of those things are pretty heavy hitters and HARD concepts to wrap your head around.

Why SO complex, Crystal?

Well, in my time away from the classroom, I spent YEARS at home- married, mothering small kids, and working alongside teenagers.  Those are a lot of invested  HUMAN RELATIONSHIPS all at once.  I lived my own struggles with keeping house, managing finances, and spousal support.  I entered motherhood and underwent a new level of sacrifice- especially in the areas of sleep, time, and resources.  

Then, I mentored teens/young adults- I sat and listened to LOTS of fears/anxieties; life stressors; pain; failed relationships; family problems and a gamet of guilty pleasures they could not part with even as they tried to quit here and there time after time

Did you know some of those teen relationships led me to areas I never thought myself qualified to go like divorce/mixed family dynamics, sexting, promiscuity, rape, suicide, drugs, tragedy, and self-harm??!?

And... if you met some of these teens in REAL life- you. would. have. never. known. they. had. struggles.

Shoot.  Looking at me and my family- you probably wouldn't think we have struggles either.

But. we. do... in fact, we. ALL. do.  

Everyone does.  

Bottom Line.

Being in a world preoccupied with the virtual image of oneself desensitizes us to REAL human struggle.

In this world NOW, many young people grow up thinking it's better to be SEEN rather than HEARD.  Even on social media, a post of anything is a way to be seen by anyone.  In little hearts now and days, their minds are always wondering "Is anyone watching?"  "Is anyone looking at me?" DOES ANYONE KNOW I'M ALIVE?

Do I see this principle in my own kids?  Sadly, I have.  My husband and I have adjusted our discipline and family time to fight this epidemic.  However, I can't help but remember  the faces and hard stories of my young people I mentored and hope for a better tomorrow for my kids and the ones I teach from here. on. out.

Kids, I do SEE you.  You DO matter.

Now, let's spend the year developing your voice...what do you have to say?

I'm your teacher and I'd love to HEAR you out.

With Love. Always,

Crystal (aka Mrs. Goins)