I borrow a bell hooks’ quote for my title. Educating is offering a gift of hope, reminding me of a Mary Oliver poem about sorrow: “It took me years to understand that this, too, was a gift.” I learned teaching did not guarantee learning. A student needs to trust a teacher and the hope offered today may take years to realize if ever. The teacher, me, missed the mark and did not go back to understand what that meant
Michelle visits my blog from time to time and what she shares complements my posts. It has been awhile since I posted, so her recent visit led me to look at her posts again. I do regardless of intent to post. The Jane Goodall quote reminds me of one by Elie Wiesel: “The opposite of love is not hate, it’s indifference.” Apathy and indifference are synonyms, so the words are somewhat interchangeable.
Hope has been a frequent part of my recent scholarship and emerges from my life. The Prayer of St. Francis was a reading at our wedding and I have a simple plaque to remind me of what it means in my life. I turn to it in moments where doubt and despair find their way into my life to recite “Lord, make me an instrument of your peace … Where there is despair, hope.”
School can be an unhappy place for many students. In some schools, 60-80% of students are labeled as unwilling and/or unable to learn. When this happens, students lose hope, they become cyphers, and are erased or treated as disposable. Consider the language we direct at others in terms of illegal immigrants, illegal aliens, collateral damage, etc. as if humans are somehow illegal or, as casualties of war, are just a byproduct of being in the wrong place at the wrong time. It is an indictment of those who hold power and the “pathologies of power” (Paul Farmer) that exist in this world. Farmer wrote about his experiences treating Haitians with AIDS, including many women who contracted the disease due to macho posturing of men in a hierarchical society.
The rest of the Prayer of St. Francis is appropriate to reflect upon in considering offering love instead of hate, joy instead of sadness, and being instruments of peace to overcome the indifference and apathy that appears in the language of power and its pathologies. I am an imperfect person who hardly qualifies as a great Christian or Catholic, but the words of the Peace Prayer resonate for me in today’s day to offer hope to others through educating.
In my presentations and articles, I often share Emily Dickinson‘s poem as she reminds me how fragile hope can be. To be accepted, it needs to be offered repeatedly as an authentic gift.
“Hope” is the thing with feathers –
That perches in the soul –
And sings the tune without the words –
And never stops – at all –
And sweetest – in the Gale – is heard –
And sore must be the storm –
That could abash the little Bird
That kept so many warm –
I’ve heard it in the chillest land –
And on the strangest Sea –
Yet – never – in Extremity,
It asked a crumb – of me.
ivonprefontaine
Teacher as Transformer 
Hope is a precious thing. A dear friend said, “Hope was a tow rope.” The Prayer of St. Francis is a favorite helping us recall that “where there is despair, hope.” So nice to see a post from you as they are always uplifting.
Thank you Bev. I get busy with other reading and writing, but I miss this part, so am always happy to be back.
“Hope” is the thing with feathers.
I love that poem. We need hope right now.
Thank you Dan. It is one of my favourites, although I have many. I use this in presentations and writing. It fits with where I am in that work around hope and nonviolence.
I love this post.
School at times was great with fun teachers who taught wonderfully sadly many of mine could care less if we learned as long as everyone behaved.
I loved my 4th grade science teacher who taught us about the sky above us they were all young, 60’s hippies in our new school. I bet they did better in their 4th or 5th year of teaching, if they didn’t quit.
Thanks for the insights ❤
Thank you for the comment Eunice. We share a common experience in Grade 4. I had a young teacher as well. They remained in the profession for about 35 years. I had an opportunity to meet her the last year I taught in K-12. I knew who she was as soon as she turned and looked at me. It was a great feeling.
Awe how awesome mine was truly a hippie but her coolness was just what we needed to find a love for science and me weather. I know her name was MS Hill but with no first name I would never find her to thank her.
Maybe serendipity and fate will intervene.
xo
Love hearing from you again, Ivon. Have you ever heard this woman? Used to play her music a Lot back in the 80’s:
https://music.youtube.com/watch?v=CnzhhTu1e5Y&si=mcKyeKA84DVGDFvE
Appreciate you in the world. 🙏♥️
Thank you for the share Bela. It is a beautiful version of the song with nice additions. I have used Sarah McLachlan’s version in the past. I like the simplicity of the arrangements with this one around an acoustic guitar and McLachlan playing the piano. It brings out the beauty of the song and prayer.
I will have to give it a listen! 🙏
What a beautiful post, Ivon. I totally agree with you and thank you for including my post. I very much appreciate it and you.
You are welcome and thank you Michele. It is nice when the universe brings things and people together around common themes like hope and nonviolence.
I feel the same way, Ivon.