Grace

This past weekend my oldest son became engaged. If you are anything like me, all I want for my kids is to be better than me. When I say that, I am talking about their character, not the money they make. I try daily to be a better person than the day before. I am far from perfect and I know I have made some big mistakes in my life. I challenge myself daily to be better than I was yesterday. For my children, I want the same. I would always tell them to just be better tomorrow. So back to my son and his engagement. When asked on a video that he produced for the engagement announcement, he said, “She shows and gives me grace. She makes me a better person.”  Grace, in its simplest form, is the quality of being kind, understanding, and forgiving. It is elegance and refinement of movement and action. When I heard that, it was hard to hold back the tears of joy. My son said it so well so I decided to write about it. I wish all educators grace and the ability to identify it. In the classroom, it means extending patience and empathy to our students as they navigate their educational journey. It’s about recognizing that each student comes with unique challenges and strengths, and meeting them where they are, rather than where we expect them to be. Grace also plays a vital role in our interactions with each other. As a team of educators, we will inevitably face challenges and moments of stress. It’s important to remember that each of us is bringing our best to this work, and sometimes, despite our best efforts, things don’t go as planned. In these moments, offering grace to our colleagues, through understanding, support, and encouragement, helps to build a positive and collaborative environment. Moreover, grace allows us to be forgiving of our own mistakes. As we strive to provide the best for our students, we must also recognize that we are human and will encounter setbacks. Embracing grace means allowing ourselves the space to grow from these experiences without harsh self-judgment. Grace. It doesn’t get more impactful than that. May you have a wonderful weekend. (cue Sheryl Crow - Soak Up The Sun)

Until next time...