The Case for Good Teaching By Cheryl W. Glenn After a 2020 spring hiatus from the school system, due to COVID-19, I along with many others continued their part-time jobs as Substitute Teachers. During this return I discovered a forgotten appreciation of teachers. I often tell students that teachers are their educational guardians and that they should be given the utmost respect, as they can make or break your learning experience. Good students understood these comments. But those who just wanted to cut up in class, never heard a word I said, because after all, I was “just a Substitute” as I’d heard many say. But as I reminisced about teachers in my life, my mind journeys back to when I was a child, growing up in Illinois. One teacher, a Sunday school specialist, told me I had a lovely voice and should be given voice lessons to sing. As a six-year-old, that statement meant the world to me. I recall holding my mother’s hand and listening to Ms. McDonald’s favorable report about me. It’s been more than 50 years since then, but I still remember this teacher’s name as she made a difference in my life. Then, there was another teacher, (I’ll call her Mrs. H, as her identity must be kept confidential, she being one of my guardian angels). Mrs. H allowed me to help her erase the blackboard, and hand out papers, helping her with the roll call and taking names of those misbehaving when she had to leave the room. Mrs. H was an English Literature teacher, and I shall always remember her, for her love of writers and her most selective field-trip adventures as she sought to provide culture for all of her students. Interestingly enough, I never aspired to be a teacher. That was my mother’s dream. And though she was not in the classroom every day, she was indeed a teacher. Though she did not have a teachers’ certificate, nor did she finish college, she taught Sunday school for more than 40 years and bible study as well. She also taught seven (7) children how to become educated and self- sufficient. I have come to the conclusion that teachers are indeed “angels in disguise” as I examine the role that each teacher has played in my life; as a child and even as an adult. For instance, Mrs. McDonald was the name of my first teacher, at aged 6. Years later, another Mrs. McDonald, was instrumental in my Substitute Teaching experience. Coincidence? Maybe. Maybe not. Mrs. H. taught me to appreciate poetry and the significance of good books as well as the value of reading; lessons I’ve learned and kept to this day. During my many assignments as a Substitute teacher, I have been amazed that many students do not enjoy reading. I try to encourage them whenever I can to READ. Why? Not only is reading “Fundamental” as the slogan for the largest Christian literacy non-profit states, it is also necessary. Think about it. In order to cook, one needs a recipe to follow. Putting together appliances requires careful reading of instructions. Reading can help us escape the mundane and transport us to places we’ve never traveled to in the world and may never travel to in our lifetime. In short, everything we do requires reading. We all know that ministers are to preach messages from God and by the same token teachers teach subjects that I believe God has ordained them to teach Good teachers enjoy their work and take it very seriously, which is why many become upset when they know students are not doing their best. Teachers have always been underpaid, and their requests for higher pay should be considered as they not only teach, but in some cases they have to use psychology skills in order to recognize how to deal with problems. They require a continuous dedication to the art of education and a skill in follow-up as teachers are concerned about their students, especially those who failed a test or a student who is having trouble with bullying. As the scriptures tell us “Many are called, but few are chosen.” Matthew 22: 14 Some teachers are educated to teach, but others are called by God to make a difference in the lives of those placed in their care. God bless all teachers and I offer up a special blessing to these dedicated souls who make a difference in the lives of their students. Cheryl Glenn is a part-time Substitute Teacher in Louisville, Mississippi. Rambling with Mrs. Arlene Praise the Lord everyone. I hope all of you had a wonderful Thanksgiving. We did. We saw all of our children but one. She lives in Morton. She had been exposed to the virus and was on quarantine. I think my God that she didn’t get it. We saw some of our grandchildren and three great grandchildren. Emerald, who is connected with getting this article, came home for Thanksgiving and we were so glad to see her. God is so good and he loves us all. All he asks is for us to turn to him and do our best to live for him and do his will. I’ve been thinking how unreal it feels to me to realize this is the last month of the year 2020. It seems like it has passed so fast. I’ve prayed and asked God to let this virus go away not only in America but all over the world. There has been so much suffering and so many deaths. So much sorrow and suffering because of the loss of loved ones. Where will it all end? The thought keeps coming to me when I hear of all the bad things going on. I can’t help but wonder how God feels about how things are happening. He’s been so faithful, yet church attendance has dropped down to nearly nothing. People are turning their backs on God and going out into the world. They don’t care about doing what’s right anymore. They just want to live it up. Then comes the day they need God’s help and turn back to him and pray for God to be with them. I had to ask myself how I would feel if I realized I was someone’s friend until they didn’t need me for anything anymore and they just walked away. Then months down the road what would I do if they suddenly returned like they had never left. Just think about it, what would you do? God has reached out to his children for years and tried to touch their hearts. He’s blessed America. He has been there when we needed him. Yet things start going good and all of the sudden if we aren’t careful, we get to thinking we’ve got it made and can make it by ourselves. WRONG! It won’t happen that way. We need our God. The Bible says in the end time there will be tribulations. It makes me wonder if this virus is the last thing we will go through. Maybe we should all make it a matter of prayer. I’m going to turn my heart and thoughts toward Jesus more than I ever have. Think it over and pray about it. God bless you all. Call me at 662-803-4690 or write me at 40 West Alice Street, Noxapater, MS 39346. Remember God is alive and looking at the ones he created and desiring to see us turn back to him. Is that too much to ask after all he’s done for us. I love you all and appreciate you reading Rambling. Lord willing I will be back next week. Arlene Barrett and Emerald Problems with Trump presidency China, with a population of 1.4 BILLION--over 4 times the population of the US (311 million)--has a total of over 86 THOUSAND COVID-19 cases compared to over 14 MILLION in the US (1/160th that of the US), and 4,634 COVID deaths compared to over 296,000 in the US (1/60th that of the US). In the past 4 days we have had 10,000 deaths--more than double China’s death total. China obviously addressed the pandemic; the US did not--and the buck stops in the White House. We have a president who from day one has downplayed the pandemic while bragging that he prevented deaths by preventing Chinese from entering the country--while allowing US citizens and Europeans to enter from Wuhan without quarantine. He had previously in his term cut funding for the CDC and had disbanded its pandemic unit. He refused testing kits from the WHO saying we would make our own only to have the first batch defective resulting in testing delays. The previous administration had transitioned to the Trump administration a 190 page playbook on dealing with a probable pandemic which was ignored by Trump. There was a dearth of personal protective equipment for our first line workers--masks, gowns, gloves, ventilators--which should have been stockpiled for just such an emergency. One percent of the recipients of the Payroll Protection Program received over 25% of the funds distributed--which included the Trump Foundation and Kushner Properties. Trump pulled the US out of the WHO. He has refused to wear a mask--to lead the country by example. He belittles those who do wear a mask, has held massive rallies with no social distancing and no mask wearing-- a perfect storm for viral spread. Thank God we will not have 4 more years of this narcissistic sociopath devoid of empathy for anyone. And Heaven help the 74 million who voted for Trump who have since the election given over $200 million for his baseless legal fight to overturn it (40 lawsuits summarily dismissed for lack of any shred of evidence of voter fraud,) This money will NOT be used for his legal expenses but instead add to his personal coffer. It’s all about Trump. He does not care about anyone but Trump. The worst president in our country’s history. It will take generations to undo the harm he has done to the country and our democracy. Florence Fulgham
