Another school year has begun and at the end of each day I am exhausted, and more inspired than ever. I have taught many years, but for the past ten I have been in the Land of Canaan I call Kindergarten. The first children I led into public education, and a lifetime of learning, are now in junior high. This past week I was privileged to watch them walk down the hallways of our school as incredible young people. My breath paused as my heart pounded with pride.
Teachers of young children compare early days in the classroom to herding cats. It is actually more similar to managing butterflies. One of my earliest frustrations was a certain young child’s propensity to dive across people and objects in an effort to be the first helper when minor mishaps occurred. In the wake of this well intentioned move, more chairs, tables, cubby contents and people were toppled. I would get so flustered in my inability to redirect this habit of helping/not helping. But last week I saw a most beautiful, radiant, giving and kind heart walking down the hallway, laughing with friends and I thought how close I came to missing this gift.
The hearts of children are universal in their transparency and goodness. Go to your local splash pad and watch them in action. When they bump into each other because they are distracted by the delight of cool water on a hot summer’s day, they right themselves, smile and begin a new game with the friend they just met. Matthew’s Gospel,18:3 says, “Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the Kingdom of Heaven.” These are the words Jesus spoke to His disciples in response to their question, “Who is the greatest?”
Watch children line up and travel from place to place. They help each other with correct ABC order and remind one another to get jackets, backpacks and lunch boxes. They stop when someone falls. (Trust me, no power on earth will make them leave a classmate behind!) While learning the intuitive lessons of space, time and motor planning, arms, legs and foreheads often collide. Being five makes fixing things simple. The offender, goes to his lunch box, removes the icepack his mother sent to keep his food fresh and gives it to the one he harmed, saying, “I’m sorry, this will make you better.” I ask, “What healed? The cold compress or the kindness?”
The heroics of a kindergartener rivals those of their super heroes. The world has instructed them to be excited and eager, but they are scared. Mom is leaving them with a stranger, in a huge space, with many new faces. Everyone outsizes them in mass and knowledge and they know it! Yet, they power through with brave, blind hope, believing this is what’s best. They live in submission to someone else’s vision for their well-being and joyfully march forward in faith!
So, if you asked me what I want to be when I grow up, I would say, “Five.” I want to live in the wonderful, innocent, kind and caring world of kindergarten where very little means so very much!
The hearts of children have no malice or prejudice until it is taught. Among them there is a strong sense of community until it is disrupted by taking and/or hoarding in an effort to gain power and control. Jesus’ words in Matthew continued and warned against causing one of these little folks to stumble, so be careful what you model and teach, because one day an accountability will come.
Love them and LOVE LIKE THEM!
Gretchen