Life’s Purpose #2. Helping Children
“I want to be a positive role model for children. Whether it's with tangibles like food or clothing, or by giving emotional support… I want to give children what they need to feel wanted, loved, and secure. I want to give children what they need to be healthy, happy, and productive.”
Children are our future. This Purpose Statement reminds me of why many of us pursue careers of working with children. I enjoyed the opportunity to be a teacher for a total of 39 years. I started teaching at the Junior Senior High School level teaching mathematics and Physical Education classes in Lunenburg County, Nova Scotia. I enjoyed coaching girls athletics teams of soccer, field hockey, volleyball, basketball, badminton and track and field. While at Centre Consolidated School, I worked with other colleagues and we started an extra curricular Gymnastics Club.
After teaching seven years in Nova Scotia, I moved to Lethbridge, Alberta and continued to coach gymnasts at the West Wind Gym Club in our city. I also taught school in the County of Lethbridge teaching in four different communities in the area around Lethbridge - Wilson Siding, McNally, Coaldale and Coalhurst. After retiring from teaching school for the County of Lethbridge, I moved on to Kuwait and I taught High School Math at an International School for another seven years. In Kuwait, I coached the badminton team and the Quiz Bowl Team. Working with children and helping them enjoy a variety of activities was very rewarding.
One of the perks of teaching elementary school children is they often give you special gifts at Christmas time. One that I received 25 years ago sits on my dresser and I see it everyday. On the back is a tag that says to Miss Graham from Kim. The front is a framed black board. Written on the board with white chalk is this. Teachers are precious people who cause joyful happenings in the hearts of children. This makes me smile and I wonder how Kim is today. I hope that all the children I had the joy to work with have pleasant memories of the time spent in my class.
Not everyone whose life’s purpose is Helping Children become classroom teachers. But all of us are ‘teachers’. No matter where you are or what you do, others are watching us. Be a positive role model. Children look up to you and even when you aren’t aware, you can make a difference in their lives.
# living life abundantly # published author # travelling tuesdays
