Hope and Faith

I can hardly remember back when I was in middle school, but if I remember correctly, we didn’t have the same pressures as kids do these days. The advances of society can be part of the blame. We encourage growth in the world today and with that growth there comes a responsibility for us to grow and mature with society.  Well middle school students today are forced to meet these advances head on and some with no direction on which way to go. For some students advancing is not always just that easy. Some students do not have the tools to keep up with their peers, whether it is in the academic or social arena, some just fall behind.  Most of us parents send our kids to school without even thinking twice that they may not be at the same academic level of most of the kids in their classes. We assume you are in sixth grade, so you should know sixth grade material right? The previous school said they were ready so we trust in what the professionals tell us.

I had the wonderful opportunity to do my community based learning at a local middle school. I wasn’t sure what to expect when I picked this type of volunteer work, especially because middle school kids, at least eighth graders, are one step from high school, so having them listen to you could prove to be difficult. As I receive my first assignment in the volunteer world, I was met by the science teacher and was told that he needed me to encourage one of the kids to participate with his group so he can be included in the group work. From what I was told the student is withdrawn from the rest of the class and usually just sits there by himself during class and group time. The teacher had his hands full with the rather large class size of kids as she was demonstrating how to perform a science project. I sat next to the student, introduced myself and eventually helped him engage with his group. When I went back the next week my volunteer time, I was assigned the science class again and the same student looked eager to see me, and this time he willing went with his group and participated. Seeing this student go outside his normal comfort zone was confirmation for me that by giving kids the extra support and showing them they have hope, they can accomplish anything. I know this was just a small fraction of help or assistance that some of the students that feel left out need, but it is a big step forward for one kid that now has the confidence he needs to be successful. You see this student was probably going to get a bad grade in the class due to him not participating in group sessions.  Now he will be graded accordingly from his input and knowledge of the class.

I am currently reading a book title “The Hope” by Andrew Harvey. The book talks about stories ordinary people have had and how they persevered through having faith and hope. Some of the stories were about giving back to the community in the capacity of giving someone else hope. In one of the stories a man’s father is on his last days and leans over to tell his son “All that will matter when you lie dying, as I am now, is knowing that you gave what you could to help others and that you are loved, not for what you have and not even for what you have done, but for what you are” (Harvey).  I truly believe in these words as helping others should be from the kindness of your heart and not in return of anything. Helping others and giving back to your community is what will allow hope to be sustainable. I am sharing this book with three of my children so they will understand and know what a great gift of giving is and to always have faith because without faith it is hard to have hope.

References:

Harvey, Andrew (2009-08-01). The Hope (p. 48). Hay House. Kindle Edition.

~Melvin Smith, March 2014