Reading all the doom and gloom thought I would share a little bout the school/kids I drive bus for.
At any given time I'd say 30% of the kids are wearing shirts with a crucifix and the words God, Jesus and Love on them. Don't seem to be the first complaint anywhere.
Had a 3rd grader with a shoe box full of bullets he and his dad found whilst relic hunting. Apparently having bullets at school ain't a reason to lock down the building.
Lots of sirs and misters flying around. Older kids look out for the younger kids. Little girls have no problems putting band aids on little boys that scrape their knees running to the bus.
Taught one of the older boys on the bus some of the controls of the bus, how to stop and how to use the emergency brake and radio, just in case I happen to drop dead while driving.
The kids continue to impress as does the school. It's only 45 or so kids but I'm liking how the future looks.
Good to hear, good idea to teach them how the bus works, you never know.
Is that a private school? If so, what affiliation, if any?
Negative, it's a public school
Reading all the doom and gloom thought I would share a little bout the school/kids I drive bus for.
At any given time I'd say 30% of the kids are wearing shirts with a crucifix and the words God, Jesus and Love on them. Don't seem to be the first complaint anywhere.
Had a 3rd grader with a shoe box full of bullets he and his dad found whilst relic hunting. Apparently having bullets at school ain't a reason to lock down the building.
Lots of sirs and misters flying around. Older kids look out for the younger kids. Little girls have no problems putting band aids on little boys that scrape their knees running to the bus.
Taught one of the older boys on the bus some of the controls of the bus, how to stop and how to use the emergency brake and radio, just in case I happen to drop dead while driving.
The kids continue to impress as does the school. It's only 45 or so kids but I'm liking how the future looks.
Most of the schools around here are like that, despite some stupidity from a few school employees that is immediately widely publicized from time to time. Most of the kids hunt and shoot too, at least the boys. Quite a few girls too. Many rodeo. Almost all have critters to take care of and lots belong to 4H.
I had to attend some parent meeting a couple of months back. The new female Principal explained the new cameras in the halls (and I'm not in favor of them but...) by saying something to the effect of, "the government won't let us have guns at school to protect the kids so we have to resort to other measures,".
Taught one of the older boys on the bus some of the controls of the bus, how to stop and how to use the emergency brake and radio, just in case I happen to drop dead while driving.
Dad did the same with me when I was about 9. Taught me how to drive a manual trans in case something happened to him at camp - I could at the least get down the road to the neighbors with the truck.
Thanks, Steelhead. Great post.
Now there ya go, bringing a little sunshine to this depressing, end of the world place...
Keep up the good work
Nice to hear that Scott.
Have no doubt you are doing your best to help them to do the right thing and enjoy life too!
Way to go.
Jeff
After thirty-two years in the classroom and another six years subbing and volunteering, I can attest that there are a great many really wonderful kids in our schools. What we need to do is set things up to provide them with a good basic education that is unhindered by those who do not wish to take advantage of what is offered. If we do that, they will do well.
How do I time travel back to 1955? I wanna be on your bus too.
I've been fairly involved in my kids extra-caricular school activities so have gotten to know quite a few kids in the schools over the years. Somehow I've been volunteered to be the burger flipper several years running at the high school homecoming tailgate party and the cross country running region championships race. The kids are by and large very polite and curteous. Several of them found a simple thank you insufficient so came up to me to say how much they appreciated what I was doing.
A couple weeks back I volunteered in a couple of the biology classes to tell the kids some details of how oil makes it out of the ground and through the pipeline, how science plays into it and how many different engineering jobs there were related to the industry. A few kids kinda had that look that they'd rather be somewhere else but most of them were tuned in and full of questions.
Somehow we tend to put too much energy focussing on the misfits and failures. I'd say the future doesn't look nearly so grim and there are some exceptionally bright and thoughtful kids that will be coming up in the future.
I've been fairly involved in my kids extra-caricular school activities so have gotten to know quite a few kids in the schools over the years. Somehow I've been volunteered to be the burger flipper several years running at the high school homecoming tailgate party and the cross country running region championships race. The kids are by and large very polite and curteous. Several of them found a simple thank you insufficient so came up to me to say how much they appreciated what I was doing.
A couple weeks back I volunteered in a couple of the biology classes to tell the kids some details of how oil makes it out of the ground and through the pipeline, how science plays into it and how many different engineering jobs there were related to the industry. A few kids kinda had that look that they'd rather be somewhere else but most of them were tuned in and full of questions.
Somehow we tend to put too much energy, resources, effort, and attention focussing on the misfits and failures. I'd say the future doesn't look nearly so grim and there are some exceptionally bright and thoughtful kids that will be coming up in the future.
Had to add.
458 Lott said:
"Somehow we tend to put too much energy focusing on the misfits and failures. I'd say the future doesn't look nearly so grim and there are some exceptionally bright and thoughtful kids that will be coming up in the future".
It's my observation that we spend 80% of the schools time and money with the top 10% who are going to fail and the 10% who are the gifted and talented. The 80% of the kids who are not dysfunctional and who are not at risk to fail and who are the average student who just wants to graduate and move on get the 20% of the time and money.
kwg
Our rural kids are all like that. Quite capable, they watch out for one another, and they can look an adult in the eye during a conversation.
By rural, I mean those that have a 100 mile run to town, and they don't need a smart phone for entertainment.
You are blessed to be there.
Great story, thanks for sharing.
Kids sure do tend to bring out the good side in a man don't they?
What a nice change of pace from all of the negative things that we constantly hear about happening in the world today...
Thanks for sharing Sir!
Rural anywhere. Most of the city kids ain't half bad either. I went on a trip to inner-city Milwaukee last year, to the ghettos, and didn't find most of the kids there much of a problem either.
It's just that the bad apples get all the attention (and seem to be inordinately drawn to political lives).
Tennessee.
There is one mail box in danger on the route, I already scraped it enough to take me reflective tape off.
What are people thinking, the box is on the white line. If the bus is 8' wide the lane on those narrow roads are 8'1".
That mailbox is right on the line going into a sharp curve. I can't tell you how many folks drive in the other lane on these narrow roads, makes it sporty for sure.
Don't forget to thank the messenger...
The Halloween bus trip should be a doozie.
I've already given out several bags of gummy bears, lollipops and gum.
Sounds like we need to bus in some city kids and some ACLU members to improve the situation there. Last thing we want is a bunch of well-adjusted kids who get along most of the time and believe in God.
Gotta ram diversity down their throats whether they like it or not. Heck, watch TV and you'll know right away that the country is 30% black, 40% Latino, and 29% gay. All the Christian white folks died off back in the 1950's....
Is this one of them there kitten threads referred to in that there Jesus Cave thread?
I think I might make a night raid and help those people move their mail box. Accidents happen.
You that's what kids are about
This really is a happy post, it has been over a month and nothing from BrentD since he posted here on the 4th of October...
I'd venture a guess that those bullets were found somewhere around Shiloh???? Not a student of history and don't have a good memory for details but seems I remember a battle taking place in the area on a sunken road or something like that?
It speaks well of you to be a mentor to kids today, Scott. Being a person who does not enjoy the society of kids I have to admire you. I don't find kids so repugnant if they are mannerly and not bullies. If I hate anything in this world it's a bully.
Our rural kids are all like that. Quite capable, they watch out for one another, and they can look an adult in the eye during a conversation.
By rural, I mean those that have a 100 mile run to town, and they don't need a smart phone for entertainment.
You are blessed to be there.
The thought came to mind that the kids are blessed that Scott is there. Sounds like a good deal for all concerned.
Good post Steelhead. Those kids might change your thoughts about God if you aren't careful. Ken
It speaks well of you to be a mentor to kids today, Scott. Being a person who does not enjoy the society of kids I have to admire you. I don't find kids so repugnant if they are mannerly and not bullies. If I hate anything in this world it's a bully.
Yes sir! Totally agree. There are a couple of kids around here who would benefit from this kind of wisdom and insightful thinking.
There's a new girl on the bus, 8th grader. A 1st grade boy has taken a shine to her. He is good kid and is missing most of his front teeth at present.
He sat next to the girl the other day 40 minutes before his stop. After he left the bus I said to the girl that it looks like she had a new boyfriend.
She then told me, yea and do you believe he calls me BUTTERCUP.
I laughed and laughed.
Now I can't get that old song "build me up buttercup" outta' my head.
There's a new girl on the bus, 8th grader. A 1st grade boy has taken a shine to her. He is good kid and is missing most of his front teeth at present.
He sat next to the girl the other day 40 minutes before his stop. After he left the bus I said to the girl that it looks like she had a new boyfriend.
She then told me, yea and do you believe he calls me BUTTERCUP.
I laughed and laughed.
Sounds like he's got the girls figured out about 50 years ahead of his time.
Nice kind of "happy post" btw.
Great post. Great kids almost always means great parents. Involved parents make all the difference in the world.