Time to share a sermon. My qualifications to preach? I’m a former music teacher and school principal, and worked with thousands of great students, teachers, and families. I’m now at the pinnacle of my career in my roles as Gramps and Ozarks Vagabond.

When I was going through school, I developed some gaps in my learning. As I continued, some of these gaps got filled in, and some didn’t. I used to beat myself up and try to hide my learning gaps. That wasn’t helpful. I’ve come to realize that most of us have gaps, areas of strength, and areas of weakness. It’s kind of like being a human, and it’s OK. Sometimes we compensate for areas of weakness and get along just fine. Sometimes our weakness helps us understand others or seek help from others as we go along.

When teachers do their best under challenging circumstances, they deserve some grace. Teaching faster won’t result in faster learning. It doesn’t work that way. Gaps will be filled in gradually over time if teachers and kids continue to be engaged in good work.

A few things we can do….
Express gratitude to a teacher.
Give kids a pat on the back and words of encouragement.
Smile at kids (even teenagers) and tell them you’re thankful that they’re here.
Read to and/or with a kid.
Tell kids when you learn something new. Be sure you’re learning new stuff.
Tell kids they don’t have to be perfect. Emotional intelligence is more important than academic skills.

Thank you, teachers, for the immeasurable impact you have on our community. We’re thankful you’re here!