Setting a good example

Growing up in a tough world

Deanna Myers

Sacred Heart teacher, Grades 2 & 3

Commitment, Clarity of Purpose, Effectiveness of Efforts, Flexibility, Presence of Partnerships, Maximization of Resources, Creative Solutions, Thoughtfulness in Planning, and Evidence of Measurable Results. Add loyalty, duty, respect, selfless service, honor, integrity, and personal courage. Now, you have a well-rounded brochure for teachers and students at Catholic schools. Wait a minute -- the absolute main reason for teaching at a Catholic School is teaching about Christ in our daily lives, providing morals and values to the lives of so many young people growing up in a tough world.

The staff of a Catholic school collaborates with each other to deal with fresh ideas on subject material and solutions to solving those crisis situations in the classroom. But it doesn't stop at the school; teachers at a Catholic School are not sheltered from rest of the world. Not only do we have the chance to obtain ideas from the other teachers in the diocese, but also we know many educators in the public force who are willing to contribute solutions and even materials. We are in this together.

These are hard times -- not only in this time of trying to obtain peace world-wide, but the recent priest scandal and the hard economic times. Our schools are not reaching full capacity. Instead of people sending their children to a school that has proven its worth with academics and a full spiritual realm, they choose to send their youngsters to a public school. I'm not saying that public schools are bad. It is just that Catholic Schools seems to offer so much more when you weigh your children's academic and spiritual future. Money seems to be the main reason. The strains they feel at home, we feel at school. Many times the Catholic Schools are treated as the "ugly step-sister." We are paid much less. Yet, the teachers continue to give, give, give. Not only do we put our own money in the classroom; but also we give a great deal of time. Combination classrooms make the planning more time-consuming, but the abilities of the children are challenged! They hear the material a year prior, it is reinforced and put into practice the next year, or even better -- many times the students are performing a year before other children. There are fewer staff members to pull the load, yet we stick by each other to see a project through.

Teaching at a Catholic School can be frustrating when you see its strengths, and yet people don't support the school. I have seen firsthand the difference of behavior of the children at community affairs. So why not make Catholic schools your first choice?

I have enjoyed the chance to teach the children about raising and lowering the flag, treating our veterans with respect, and many other projects that would have been more difficult to accomplish somewhere else. Accepting people with different religious beliefs, skin color, and opinions is discussed and lived everyday. I have the opportunity to pull in various community speakers and resources to stress these beliefs. Catholic schools promote our five basic freedoms everyday. Not only are the Ten Commandments discussed and understood, but we live the Constitution of the United States, too. Many do not realize that religious based schools were the first in our great nation.

I have a son in the Army. These young people are in many ways treated like the Catholic schools. Some people will say out loud and in print how much the military is accomplishing. Then, there are others making demands that they sacrifice even more. But, how many of these people on both sides of the fence are willing to really be more than just an American and bask in all of our freedoms given by those in the military? How many are willing to actually join the military in their operations in the global war on terror or to serve our nation? In other words -- people talk and write how wonderful the Catholic schools are in building a solid foundation in the academic world, but how many are devoted in sending their children to a Catholic school? Or how many actually attend Mass weekly -- or how many actually financially support a Catholic school? Some do -- and we are eternally grateful, but others just leave it for someone else to handle.

So why do I teach at a Catholic School? Go back to my introduction. That is the reason. I want to be a positive part of a child's life, and to open their eyes to a chance of making a difference in our world. Once again, I want to point out that we are in this together. Our responsibility is to educate each student so they can survive in the real world with real problems. Successful people do have Christ in their life. Why deny any child this opportunity?

Good teachers support each other public and parochial. We are in this together. What better force to have the children understand that God does bless America?

Why I teach in a Catholic school