Saturday, 27 August 2022

Back to School Manifesto + Results.


 

Today I am thinking about all the students who will receive their Leaving Cert results; not the ones who'll be feted on the covers of tomorrow's newspapers with their 7 A1's.            No, this morning, I salute the dreamers, the ones who ploughed their own furrow against the grain, the dancers and chancers, the schemers, the unsung heroes of the magical space between the classes, the bike shed kissers and smokers, the ones whose crooked branches could never be bent straight, the raconteurs of the school bus stop, the shy ones who'll be beautiful late bloomers, the bullied ones, the ones who thought their leaking buckets were deficient but it only is along a well-watered path that the most beautiful flowers grow, the boys and girls who held tight to their own song, whistling their own melody against the wind that blew hard for the last six years, the odd balls who rolled collecting only the moss they wanted, the  boys who've waited for years to walk out of those school gates for the last time and walk tall, the ones who were taunted and not taught, the ones whose songs were frozen and stultified by facts; there is no failure today.                   ....the thaw begins today....this your Spring....your release...your recovery...your time....take flight...learn to forget...and dazzle yourself by being who you truly are...let nobody measure, weigh or assess you....look up into the cosmos of your beautiful self and follow that star that winks at you showing you the way towards the place that school never revealed to you...somewhere way beyond what you thought was possible.....somewhere so close...deeply lodged in you You are Special. 

Something for the Teachers





Saturday, 20 August 2022

"Starting school - Back at School "




Something inspirational for all parents / teachers who have children starting school or returning to school.

An Aspiration: Starting School, Back at School.

As you head off to school , this is what I’m hoping and praying for you:

I’m hoping and praying: that your teachers will know just how to teach you in a way that you will love to learn.

I’m hoping and praying: that you will make friends who will have your back, make you laugh and will make you better.

I’m hoping and praying: that you will always be kind, even in the face of conflict or disagreement.

I’m hoping and praying: that you will seek out the new person or the lonely person and help them find their place.

I’m hoping and praying: that you’ll learn to be a leader.

I’m hoping and praying: that you will do everything to the best of your ability — even when you don’t want to.

I’m hoping and praying: that you will be focused on the things your teachers are trying to teach you.

I’m hoping and praying: that you’ll have confidence from knowing you are a child of the universe.

I’m hoping and praying that if things go wrong, you’ll always remember that you are loved.

I’m hoping and praying: that you’ll laugh a lot during your day.

I’m hoping and praying: that you will grow in wisdom and in stature.

Most of all, I’m hoping and praying: that this year will be filled with learning, growth, joy and fun.

Have a great year!

If we knew the background circumstances which children and students come to school                  - we might treat them differently. 

A suggestion for Primary School Teachers:
and now  suggestions for Parents: 








 

Forgiveness

  Forgiveness  My father once said, “If they hurt you, forgive them, but never forget what they’ve done.” This has always been a reminder ...