YOU are your children’s first teacher! You are your child’s life-long teacher, Your behavior sets your most lasting legacy. Parents, be your children’s BEST teacher!!
Thanks for visiting JanBeek today. See ya tomorrow (God willing)
As a teacher of elementary children for nearly a quarter of a century and the mom of two very curious children, I can tell you that one of the most annoying questions is “Why?”
I remember the day I finally asked my father, “Why not?” when he told me NO. I was about 20 years old! Can you imagine? Being raised in a family where when Dad said, “No,” that was final? No questions asked. Just obey?
My kids were not like that. It was a different era. They asked, “Why?” before they knew how to say, “Chocolate!”
I think a measure of a child’s intelligence may be how many times s/he asks “Why?” The explorations, poking, questioning, prodding, relentless inquisitive nature of some children and adults can be downright annoying, though.
The path may not be a straight one… And it may be hard to determine where it leads, but curiosity will keep you (and them) moving forward. There is a huge NEED to know what’s beyond the bend!
As parents and teachers we sometimes want to shield our children from the unknown. There may be danger out there. I had a tendency to be protective. I know that’s where my dad was coming from when he said, “No!”
But squelching curiosity because of fear of the unknown is a dangerous path. It can lead to many missed opportunities and lost happiness.
Instead of being annoyed by the “Why?” and the “Why not?” we need to teach ourselves and our children the importance of always questioning.
Accepting “No” for an answer without questioning can lead to stagnation.
Instead of squelching curiosity, let’s turn our questioning into research with a purpose.
Curious people don’t just look Curious people see Curious people don’t just see Curious people question Curious people don’t just question Curious people probe
With a thirst for answers, Curious people are relentless. They keep asking until They find answers that satisfy.
Curiosity changes our perceptions. It changes our way of seeing things. It helps us gain the wisdom That less curious people Spend a life-time chasing.
Francoise Sagan is credited with that quote. Who was he? Are you curious? I was.
“Françoise Sagan (born Françoise Delphine Quoirez; 21 June 1935 – 24 September 2004) was a French playwright, novelist, and screenwriter. Sagan was known for works with strong romantic themes involving wealthy and disillusioned bourgeois characters. Her best-known novel was her first – Bonjour Tristesse (1954) – which was written when she was a teenager.
Want to know more? Put her name in your Google search engine. We are so blessed to have an encyclopedia at our fingertips. Folks with insatiable appetites for answers can ask the who, what, why, when, and how questions and Siri or Alexa or Wikipedia are right there. What a gift these are to the curious.
Imagine what Einstein might have done with today’s technology!!!
EMBRACE CURIOSITY! Let your “Why?” be followed by active listening, thoughtful reading, and the explorations, poking, questioning, prodding, trying again, inquisitive nature that those children and adults exhibited who were downright annoying. Go ahead! Be annoying!
Just as children are grateful for their parents, their homes, their teachers, their food, and so much more, so we as adults must remember to express gratitude for those same things and for one another.
How do you express your gratitude?
I really appreciate this video and express my gratitude by sharing it with you. No, you can’t click on this one… it’s just a photo.
Before you click on the video below, look up at that man’s face. See the kindness in his eyes. See the bit of a smile on his lips. Notice he is looking at his passenger in her pretty turquoise scarf. Anticipate what you think he may be saying to her. Notice the bouquet of red roses blurred in the foreground. Now – click on the video below … and be prepared to be touched!
You may not have been able to understand the words this Iranian man was speaking to his wife, but your understanding of the message was clear. Right? Didn’t it warm your heart and reinforce the need to be grateful for one another?
When I think of my family, gratitude bubbles up inside me.
1) I am grateful for my husband’s love… for me and for our children. 2) I am grateful for bouquets of roses. (I could see him passing a bouquet on to others to share love.) 3) I am grateful for the happy home my parents provided for me was a child. 4) I am grateful that my husband’s parents were faith-filled, loving parents, too. 5) I am grateful that my children provided loving homes for their children.
Pass it on!!
There is no greater gift we can give our children than to love one another. Be grateful for that love and keep it alive!
I decided to give Tanaga a try. You might enjoy having a go at it, too. Since my JanBeek topic is about Loving One Another, I decided to use love as my Tanaga rhyme.
For my country I have love It’s not peaceful like a dove Democracy needs a shove We need help from God above
I need a yard sign that reads Love is all the help one needs. “Unity is Power” Plant seeds. Turn off all divisive feeds.
Love, unity, and respect Go farther than you suspect. Wear them so others detect The LOVE than others neglect.
Have a Fabulous Friday. TGIF is my day To stand for the straight and gay In UNITY every day!
How will you show your love today? Try it with Tanaga!
Oh, by the way, I told you Bob’s former student, Peter, was visiting, right? He left today. Coach Beekman and I really enjoyed the visit.
Nothing makes a former teacher feel more loved than to be remembered and respected, loved, and visited by a former student. Do you have a favorite teacher you could honor somehow today? Maybe that could be your Tanaga topic!
See ya later. Love ya,JanBeek
P.S. Bob lost a cap on one tooth. It looks strange; that is the truth! Don’t tell him he looks uncouth. Ready for Halloween booth!
I remember Dad’s three-tiered tulip bed and the day I picked a bouquet of them and got into trouble…
I remember being scolded, and as I stood there with a fist-full of the precious blooms saying to Dad, “I no pick the flaws… maybe Sally pick the flaws!”
I remember walking down Fig Lane with my sister, Sally, headed to P Street School wearing my Mary Jane’s…
I remember how proud I was of those new shoes…
I remember trips every September to San Francisco to get new school clothes: new shoes, a new dress, underwear, a sweater, a coat… the essentials…
I remember eating crab legs at Fisherman’s Wharf while I gazed at the boats coming in and going out of the harbor…
I remember my first plane trip, flying to Seattle to be with my mom’s family there when her mom died…
I remember Dewey Wright, my first true love, and the Valentine card he gave me in kindergarten, and how he chased me around the playground until I caught him …
I remember moving from that little white house at the end of Fig Lane to a house out in the country right next door to my Dad’s mom…
I remember the day my cousin, Billy, came to live with us – and how upset he was – and how upset I was when he tore our doll house apart and scattered our toys…
I remember dashing past a gobbling turkey who chased me to my grandma’s back door after school…
I remember my father’s tears when his mother died…
I remember moving out to that God-forsaken place twenty miles from nowhere to begin life anew, with Dad going into business with Uncle Igino and Uncle Melio …
I remember the smell of the Pacific Tallow Works that was about 150 yards from our house, and how impossible it was to close up the house tight enough …
I remember Tiofila and Engracia and Dalia, my sweet little Spanish-speaking playmates, whose mom made fantastic tortillas, and the day they were transported back to Mexico by some cruel authorities…
I remember crying for days when I heard Dalia had died on that trip back to Mexico …
I remember Manuel Ynzunza, his basketball skill, and our first kiss out behind the cafeteria … oh, the thrill of it…
I remember “Dimples,” my Cocker Spaniel who had four puppies – and the fascination of observing the births …
I remember riding a horse, unable to control it, and being pushed into a barbed wire fence, putting a gash in my right leg …
I remember how impossible it was for Mom to leave the office unattended to take me to the doctor (she was Dad’s secretary-bookkeeper), so she taped my gash closed and how it healed leaving a big scar …
I remember the day my Aunt Jean, Billy’s mom, came to take him back … how I was filled with mixed emotions, sorrow and relief …
I remember my mom’s older sister, Aunt Evelyn, coming from Washington to visit and bringing clothes my cousins had outgrown, and Mom spending nights altering them to fit Sally & me …
I remember walking at least a mile (seemed like five) to catch the school bus and riding for at least an hour (seemed like five) while we picked up other kids to go to Crows Landing Elementary School…
I remember Mrs Yetter, my third grade teacher, who was almost bald…
I remember my fourth grade teacher, Mrs. Ethel Horwedle, and how she wrote her cursive E, and how she let me sing to the tunes of the square dance records, and let me teach the class new square dance moves…
I remember Mrs. Marlow, the principal’s wife who was my 7th and 8th grade teacher… how she let me go during spelling class to help the kindergarten teacher (because, “You don’t need the spelling lesson,” she’d say after giving me a pre-test on which I always got 100%) …
I remember wearing an “I Like Ike” button and learning in 8th grade about each of his cabinet members as they were one-by-one appointed…
I remember Howard Thorkelson, our class genius, who got polio when we were in 8th grade and was gone a long time… returning in a neck and back brace for our graduation…
I remember learning to play the clarinet and doing so well that the band leader invited me to play with the high school band…
Sally & me with our clarinets
I remember being too small to fit into a high school band uniform, and having suspenders that pulled the pants up under my armpits…
I remember playing an accordion duet with Evelyn at our 8th grade graduation, but don’t remember Evelyn’s last name …
This was my first accordion. It’s over 100 years old!
I don’t remember a lot of things, but I remember feeling cared for, and feeling like I could become whatever I set my mind to, and not realizing we were poor…
We actually weren’t you know. We had each other. We had love. We had everything.
Music increases Intelligence, I am sure; Especially strings!
Science bears it out! Or is it that violins Attract the wise ones?
Does music enhance natural intelligence?Just look at these bright youngsters!
Today at our Madison Valley Woman’s Club, there were about 75 women present to enjoy a variety of homemade soups for lunch while being entertained by Katie Coyle’s violin students.
These seven students were delightful!
Teacher, Katie, said she was not a trained teacher, but no one else in our little town of less than 1,000 residents was teaching violin. So, when Katie (who to played the fiddle when she was a youngster) was asked, she stepped up to the plate. There is no way you would agree with her when she says, “I don’t know how to teach violin.”
The students giggled when told they should play kneeling.They squealed with joy when told to play lying down!
Katie obviously knows how to teach violin in a way that brings the students back each week clambering for more.
Smart to begin with; smarter still with music lessons!Bright eyes, open minds, and ready smiles!
Our MVWC donates money annually to Katie’s Music and Art Academy. Our donation made it possible for 3 families to attend Fiddlers’ Camp last summer. Next summer Katie hopes 6 families can attend.
We have 150 members!
Our “Collect” or “pledge” that we resign together each month at the start of our meeting tells you a little about our mission:
We put into action our better impulses!
Today I was one of about 8 ladies who provided the crock pots of soup for the lunch. Each month a different volunteer committee provides the meal and decorates the tables with seasonal themes.
This wasn’t the one I made, but it was my choice for lunch. It was yummy!There were about 8 choices of soup plus cornbread and yummy desserts. The desserts were gone by the time the serving committee got to that part of the meal. Oh well… I didn’t need the calories!Happy November, my friends.
Do you play an instrument? Is it your conviction that music enhances intelligence? I may be a little prejudiced in that regard!
I hope you can access this gorgeous music. I found it by Googling it on YouTube.
Just listening to beautiful violin music makes me feel smarter! How about you?
My cousin, Cliff, who had surgery yesterday to remove his esophagus (due to cancer) loves sending me jokes about my instrument of choice: the accordion. I ask you to pray today for Cliff’s recovery and return to strength and humor. I think of him as I listen to this beautiful music.
One of the jokes Cliff sent me was a picture of St. Peter welcoming someone to Heaven saying, “Here is your harp.” And Satan welcoming someone to Hell saying, “Here’s your accordion.”
Thanks, Cliff!! In spite of your sarcastic humor, I love you!! (Maybe it’s because of your humor??) Even in your strapped down, hooked up, post surgery posture, I can see that devilish smirk and the twinkle in your eyes!
Please pray for Cliff!
Listen to music. It’ll make you smarter. And bee sure your kids get music lessons!
Bee well! Always Bee Grateful for your health!! See ya tomorrow, my friends.
The best kind of gift Is the unexpected one The gift from the heart
The Givers
It was Mother’s Day weekend. I went into Bozeman, our nearest city, to do a little shopping, get my nails done, and run a few errands.
After dear Jayson finished my manicure, while I was sitting there letting my nails dry, he and his adorable wife, Hannah (who is a pedicure expert), went into the back room. They came out wearing great big grins and carrying a gorgeous orchid plant and card.
“Happy Mother’s Day,” they said, as they handed the card and plant to me.
What a sweet, unexpected gift! The orchid sits on my kitchen counter… a daily reminder of these two lovely people.
Another time a “Gift from the Heart” was received totally unexpected was when my former kindergarten student – from 1962 – came to visit us. Ty (he was so adorable, I named my son – born in 1965, after him) came to Montana from California with his wife, Roxanne. Can you imagine the joy that brought us?
I can’t think of a gift more precious than a visit from a former student! The gift of your presence, your time… So heartfelt!
Have you revisited a teacher who impacted your life? You should try it. Believe me, it is indescribably wonderful!!
Later, after Ty left, he and his wife sent us a thank you gift… a gift from his hands and heart. Knowing how strong y faith is, and sharing the love of the Trinity, Ty made me a cross. I have it hanging in a spot of honor on my dining room wall where I see it multiple times every day… and thank God for Ty and Roxanne, and their gift from the heart.
Have you been given a gift from the heart? One that was totally unexpected? Or have you given one to somebody “just because”??
Shane Koyczan is an amazing young man with a story to tell to the world… a story that will forever change how you hear the word “Bullied” and how you see the meaning of “Beautiful.” Click on the link. Take time to hear and watch him. You’ll want to share it, too.
The BEST Christmas gift doesn’t come in a box. It isn’t hidden in your Christmas stocking. It needs no wrapping paper or bows and it won’t cost you a thing except a little time. It’s an act of kindness that can come only from you.
I received the BEST Christmas present yesterday. Christmas is a couple of weeks away, but this gift will last until then – in fact, it will live in my heart forever!! You can give this kind of gift to someone today. It was a note from a former student. Eva was my first grader in 1980. I have moved 1,200 miles from her, but she cared enough and took the time to find me. Paraphrased, her note said, “I found my calling. I love teaching. In addition to teaching first graders, I am teaching Spanish two nights a week at the local college, and I am working as a mentor for beginning teachers. Thank you for being so instrumental in helping me find my calling…”
Eva was a bright and promising first grader who came to school as an English as a Second Language student. She spoke Spanish at home and in her neighborhood. She was making such great progress when at Christmas time her parents wanted to pull her out for a couple of months. Seasonal workers, they returned to Mexico each year to spend the holiday season (plus some) with Eva’s grandparents. I offered to have Eva live with me rather than missing so much learning during this crucial time in her developmental stage. Her parents, seeing my concern, recognizing the truth of my fears that she’d slide backward academically if she missed that much school, decided to cut their intended stay. They returned in early January. I was able to take my wonderful first graders on to second grade and by the end of the next year, Eva was an A student. It was a winning duet: supportive parents, and a bright and eager mind. It’s a caring, concerned teacher’s dream. I stayed in touch with Eva through her continued schooling and joyfully attended her college graduation. What a privilege!
But, the frosting on the cake was the BEST Christmas present ever – thirty-two years later. She took the time to contact me. My heart is so warmed by Eva’s acknowledgement and her success. Thank you, Eva! May God continue to bless you as you are a blessing to others!
You can send The Best Christmas Gift today! A note, a phone call, a text message, “Thank you for making a difference.” Isn’t that what life is all about? Give someone a lift. It won’t cost you anything more than a moment of your time. Merry Christmas, friends! Be a blessing!!
JanBeek 
Written
on March 17, 2013