Do you remember the excitement of heading back to school when you were a child? That butterfly feeling in the pit of your stomach kicked in as the school bus approached. You were excited about all the new school supplies you carried and you could hardly wait to be reunited with all your friends after summer break. Oh, sometimes you dreaded a certain subject or wished you had a bit longer summer vacation, but overall, it sure felt good to get back to school. The innocence of those days was a precious thing.
Many years ago, the days of the one-room country school posed a lot of challenges and a heavy workload for teachers. Some teachers taught all subjects in grades one through eight. Classes were short and older students assisted younger students because the teacher was usually teaching another class. Day-dreamer students sometimes learned from listening in on classes for the higher grades.Years ago we never would have imagined the worries today’s parents, grandparents, and school staff have as the children return to school for another year. Society has changed. Not all of it is for the better.
Every generation has its own unique challenges. It is hard to comprehend what school employees must now have in the back of their minds when they should be fully focused on teaching and supporting the learning environment. Almost six years ago I wrote a blogpost about my feelings after the Sandy Hook school shootings. (If you would like to read it: Tissues and Tears for Sandy Hook – susanbrownell.com.) Never could I have imagined how many more would follow since then.
The good news is that many schools have planned and rehearsed for many of the disasters that could happen. The good news is there is much more school security. The good news is that there are many good and decent and brave people in the world ready to come to the aid of others. The good news is that more and more young people and adults are recognizing disturbing behavior and speaking out when they see warning signs.
Today I find myself thinking of all the children heading back to school, their teachers, teacher’s aids, administrators, school nurses, lunch servers, custodians, secretaries, school bus drivers, and school security officers. What a great responsibility is put on these school employees and teachers. They carry an even greater burden than years ago. Let’s pray they have a safe year and can completely focus on why they are there without fear and distraction.