Our Children are Watching

 Our children are watching. 

Our children learn much more than academics when they are in school. Schools provide an opportunity for students to  grow as people, to learn how to get along with others, to show empathy for those who may be struggling, to make new friends, to be responsible for what they say and do, to persevere when things are challenging, to listen to other viewpoints, to learn to lead as well as to follow, and to find the joy in learning together with their classmates. Schools are also important venues for learning life skills such as responsibility, perseverance, communication, critical thinking, and problem-solving, skills that students carry with them throughout their lives. 

When I was a principal, our behavioral expectations were simple: Take care of yourself. Take care of others. Take care of our school.  Most schools have similar behavioral expectations. We know that academic success is emphasized in schools, but kids who care about the world they live in and who contribute positively to their community is just as important. 

Which leads me to this: Our children are watching. These are very contentious times. The race for our nation’s leadership is on very public display. What are our children seeing on social media and the news media? Are the discussions, interviews, and debates positive and respectful?  What are the candidates’ plans to make our country and the world a better place? Are the candidates debating the issues and sharing accurate data?  Do they seek to unite us as a nation or to divide us? 

As a society, I believe it is our responsibility to leave this world a better place for the next generation, and that was always my goal as an educator. I constantly remind myself of the Native American proverb: “We do not inherit this world from our ancestors. We borrow it from our children.” I hope you agree that striving for a better world for our children should be the goal of all of us, but most importantly, for the next leader of our country.