Mary’s Minute
“One of the oldest human needs is having someone to wonder
where you are when you don't come home at night.” ~ Margaret Mead
I have been watching the Weather Channel quite a bit the last
few days in anticipation of Hurricane Matthew slamming the U.S. I marvel at how at times like this everything
stops – meetings are canceled, classes are suspended, scheduled medical
procedures are delayed - entire cities come to a halt. How is it that things that seemed so
important yesterday, suddenly do not really matter? The rhetorical question has a common sense
answer (Duh!), a spiritual response (Catastrophes help us focus on what really
matters in life.), and also a response directly linked to educational
theory. One of the most well-known
educational theories is that of Maslow’s Hierarchy of Basic Needs. The theory suggests that children cannot
learn until their basic needs are met.
Obvious basic needs are food and shelter, but other needs when unmet
have an equally devastating effect on learning.
Putting it in the simplest way, children need to be loved before they can
learn.
Jennifer Mitchell did a really cool thing this week, asking
elementary teachers to tell three things about Perry Central that they
appreciated. The responses were powerful
and heart-warming! One thing that stood
out is that at Perry Central teachers and staff members care about kids!
Hurricane Matthew and P.C. as a caring community may seem
totally unrelated, but just like coastal residents are seeking shelter from a torrential
storm, you provide the warm blanket of hope for our students who come to us
from stormy lives. You are amazing!
Have a great week!
Mary
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