I Want To Be Like You

I’ve been at my current school for a little over ten years, and must say I’ve enjoyed it very much. If you had told me when I was finishing up my doctorate all those many years ago that I would end up working mostly with Kindergarten children who speak very little English, I would have suspected you’d been working with too much formaldehyde. But, as it turns out, that is where I am, and, while any job will have its ups and downs, I must admit my work with the little ones has been refreshing and rewarding.

Every morning I unload the buses as they come to our school. I try to greet as many children as I can by name. There are 8 buses, each with between 50 and 60 children. I probably know half of the children by name, but with the rush going past me (we unload two buses at a time), I usually am lucky to spot and name about a third of the children. It is important for them to know they are not just a face in the crowd, that they are recognized as individuals. When they know their teachers accept them, they are much more receptive to what we try to give and do. For the most part, the children respect and look up to the teachers at our school, and I frequently see evidences that show they identify with us.

I’ve mentioned in a blog a number of months ago that I wear western boots to school. They are comfortable, and give my ankles good support. Many of our students or their families, at least, originate in the rural parts of Mexico. It isn’t uncommon to see boots and western-style hats (which I also wear on colder mornings) on the parents and grandparents. Once in a while, a little boy will show up with boots. On quite a few occasions, I’ve had some little guy sidle up to me and put his boot beside mine, look up, and grin.

I’m also known at my school for my neckties. Of the approximately 80 staff (not including cafeteria workers), there are only 7 men in the school. I’m the only one who wears neckties. I’ve always worn them to this school, in part to let the students see that one can dress a little nicer without being on the way to church, a wedding or a funeral. I suspect many of the students don’t see ties around the house all that much. More than once, I’ve had a child come up, look at my tie, and say, “My dad has one of those.”

The ties I wear are what one would call novelty ties – cartoon characters, animals, etc. And I have quite a few of them. There are several children that, as soon as they get off their buses, stop by to see what tie I have on. I’ve had to laugh more than once when a little boy, especially kindergarten boys, get off the bus on Picture Day all gussied up in vest, white shirt and tie. As soon as they catch my eye, they reach down and wave their tie at me, much like Oliver Hardy of Laurel and Hardy silent films used to do all the time. Identifying with me. Wanting to emulate me. That is one of the great sources of joy I get. But the responsibility of it all. I must be careful to give them something to emulate.

As I was thinking about this earlier today, my mind moved on to the idea of emulating Christ. I’m sure He enjoys it when we “sidle up” to Him, as it were. Do we want to be by His side? Are we willing to show Him the parts of us that are like Him? How much we should want to be a lot like Him. How much we need to be totally like Him. Do we want Him to call us by name, to indicate that we’re important to Him? I hope so.

There’s an old spiritual that has the line, “All God’s children got shoes.” I wonder if some of them will have boots.

Have a great day.

Dr. G