New Beginnings

From August Newsletter 2023

The school year is full of possibility. In the Meyers-Brigg personality test there is a question that asks if one is “quick to start, slow to finish,” which can often describe me. It is easy to plan, organizing lesson plans and materials is exciting. As I consider the potential for this year, I find that instead of writing lesson plans and getting overly-structured, I must keep at the forefront of my mind the full life that is my purpose in this education:

“Our aim in education is to give a full life. We owe it to them to initiate an immense number of interests. Life should be all living, and not merely a tedious passing of time; not all doing or all feeling or all thinking - the strain would be too great - but, all living; that is to say, we should be in touch wherever we go, whatever we hear, whatever we see, with some manner of vital interest.” – School Education p 135

This is our purpose. The possibilities are already there ready to unfold. The most important thing is that the life of the mind is being cultivated and relationships with my children are being formed as we walk on the road together. The laundry can wait, the dinner will get made, the lesson plans will be taught. However, the awareness that we can give our children by being truly present is the gift that we give both them and ourselves as we make sure that it is not just a ”tedious passing of time.”