A third-grade girl is happy to be with her friends at Rogers. Happy, and blessed. She was taken from her mother by the State last year. She is sponsored by her kind-of-grandparents who are both are retired and living on a very limited income. "Grandpa" has serious health problems.
Her sponsors have so many burdens, that it seems impossible for them to sponsor her. Yet, month by month they manage to scrape up the means to do it. They feel compelled to. And undisturbed, planted in good soil, this little girl blossoms.
Friday, November 14, 2003
Friday, October 03, 2003
Growing Girls
I drop by a third- and fourth-grade room to see how two lively girls are doing. The teacher says that the first girl is very observant, ready to offer a pen when she sees the teacher needs one. In fact, the girl tries to direct everything, and the teacher has encouraged her to let other people lead.
I say that’s another advantage of our Family Group program. Yes, we often think of younger ones growing into leadership roles as they mature. But in this case we can ask her to learn to follow since she’ll want that from her Family Group members when she becomes a leader.
“What about the second girl?” I ask, knowing that she has a serious problem staying on task.
The teacher tells me that one day she assigned a project for the class and the students asked if they could sit together. She responded with, “You can sit any place that will help you focus and be successful.”
The students were getting settled and the teacher had begun her own work when the second girl plunked down right next to her.
Surprised, the teacher asked the girl, “Is this a place where you can focus and be successful?”
With a weary sigh, the girl replied, “I hope so.”
I say that’s another advantage of our Family Group program. Yes, we often think of younger ones growing into leadership roles as they mature. But in this case we can ask her to learn to follow since she’ll want that from her Family Group members when she becomes a leader.
“What about the second girl?” I ask, knowing that she has a serious problem staying on task.
The teacher tells me that one day she assigned a project for the class and the students asked if they could sit together. She responded with, “You can sit any place that will help you focus and be successful.”
The students were getting settled and the teacher had begun her own work when the second girl plunked down right next to her.
Surprised, the teacher asked the girl, “Is this a place where you can focus and be successful?”
With a weary sigh, the girl replied, “I hope so.”
Tuesday, September 23, 2003
Foresight and Foundations
Tom describes himself as a “low-life foreman” on the foundation work at the new school site. Tanned, lanky, and leather-skinned he told me we were really lucky that we had chosen to go ahead on “shelling in” the cafeteria. In moving ahead with it, they had discovered that the load of the additional roofing was greater than one of the planned footings in the commons would have been able to support. The change in design has been made and it is all okay now, but wouldn’t have been if we had decided to add the kitchen later.
Tom also told me that there was a lot of “overkill” on this project. I asked him why all the forms were being built under the shower rooms. He grinned and said, “See, that’s exactly what I’m talking about. Normally, you’d just pour thicker slab under each stall, but your architect is putting in a footing and foundation under every single stall. I’m not saying that’s bad: ‘When in doubt, build it stout. Don’t cheapen it out.’”
Tom thinks our design shows the cautious planning of a woman. He's wrong, but I'm glad he noticed the care in our plan. (PS, if you want to see photos of the building project, click the link in the sidebar.)
Tom also told me that there was a lot of “overkill” on this project. I asked him why all the forms were being built under the shower rooms. He grinned and said, “See, that’s exactly what I’m talking about. Normally, you’d just pour thicker slab under each stall, but your architect is putting in a footing and foundation under every single stall. I’m not saying that’s bad: ‘When in doubt, build it stout. Don’t cheapen it out.’”
Tom thinks our design shows the cautious planning of a woman. He's wrong, but I'm glad he noticed the care in our plan. (PS, if you want to see photos of the building project, click the link in the sidebar.)
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