By Mary Hill
I am on my first week of the National Write Nonfiction Month challenge. A big challenge for bloggers, how do we fit this topic into our normal routine of linkups and blog hops? I decided I am going to to do my best; so here is my first rendition of thankfulness related to my nonfiction topic of parental involvement in education.
1. I am thankful for parents that saw promise in me. They could not afford the private school route; so, I am a product of public schools before charter schools or school choice.
2. I am thankful for the many educators who encouraged a young shy, impoverished child. I felt impoverished because I didn’t have the latest fashion, and sometimes we struggled to eat nutritious food. My parents worked hard to make ends meet. In fact, I went through years of teasing because of pants that flooded and shoes that had worn, torn soles and would flap as I walked.
3. My school counselor at North Ridgeville Middle School in Ohio years ago, introduced me to a book, How to Win Friends and Influence People. It inspired me, but I flunked at everything I read in the book. I can’t remember a first name or significant detail about a person. In 1995, when I won the Professional Business Women’s Award in Georgetown, SC, I told the crowd of women at the regional awards ceremony with a shaky voice, as I read from my speech cards that rattled with my nerves, I feel like I have always been a far better writer than speaker.
4. Writing and education have created and opened doors for me in numerous ways. I have battled severe illness from arthritis to fibromalygia and anemia, but managed to write.
5. I am thankful to God for putting a desire in me to write through all the major storms, battles, and times of joy in my life. I have a record of a life that is dedicated to Him. His Holy Spirit has been my spiritual instructor since I was a young tween. More on this later in my series.
6. I am thankful to my ninth grade English teacher at Coconut Creek High School, who once told me that I was an honor student and not to sell myself short. When times get tough and I stumble over loose shoelaces, her analogy for problems, she said, I have the ability to yank my shoelaces tight and secure and get up and try again.
7. I am thankful for the educational legacy of love, spiritual insight, and knowledge that I now instill in my own daughter and grandchildren.
8. Off topic, but I have to mentiong this. I am thankful to Zoe at Zoe Rewritten for lettting me that I won her contest and will be getting a shiny new journal. It was a fun contest to enter. Be sure to check our her future contests.:)
9. Okay, I know this is off topic too. I am thankful for the opportunity to enter a contest to win an American Girl Doll. My daughter wants one for Christmas. It would really help our budget if I win this contest.Visit Mama.Mommy.Mom for more details.
10. I am thankful to God for another week to make sure my daughter learns in school and in the home. Learning takes place 24/7, yes even in our dreams. I get a lot of my poetry ideas from dreams. I encourage my daughter to write her dreams down too.
I leave you today with music, prayer, and well wishes. Please come back Monday to read more on my series on parental involvement in education. Also remember to check out Mary-andering Among the Pages for complementary resource posts.
Also joining this hop:
How true the real essence of education is to respect everyone and be thank full and helpful:)
Thank you for the insightful comment. 🙂
Thanks everyone. I am praying special blessings for you today. Thankfulness, love and happiness will be yours all week. In Jesus name, amen. ::)
congrats on the win! very cool and, perhaps shows how, despite how we may not see our own full abilities, others do recognize it.
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Thanks for the encouragement Clark. 😉
I’m so glad that you write, that you were encouraged by such wonderful people, and that you encourage others in their turn 🙂
Congrats on winning Zoe’s contest!
I so enjoy hearing about good, influential teachers. Thank you for sharing a bit of what those good teachers did for you.
Learning is a life-long endeavor. I try hard to help my kids enjoy learning so they will be willing to learn more and more as they get older.
Good luck with NaNoNaNo this month!
Parents and teachers play such a significant role in students’ learning. It sounds like you were truly blessed!
Good luck with the American Girl contest.
Thanks, Kristi. I really appreciate your comments and stopping by. 🙂
What a great way to begin your November writing challenge.
What a great way to begin your November of writing.
Thanks so much for stopping by. 🙂
You definitely deserved the win… You should know it goes through a three person judging system … I am not one of them! The first person is a good friend of mine who edited the first draft of my manuscript, the second is another editor who also did an edit for me and the third is (ready for this?) my therapist… who has written several books and is quite published both in the psych field and commercially…so you won after a grueling judging process that you weren’t even aware of! Congrats! Sending it out soon! Zoe
Yea, thanks so much again. 🙂
I love the analogy of stumbling over loose shoe laces! You had some wonderful educators who saw the potential in you.
Thanks Dyanne. I so enjoy your visits and nice comments. 🙂
Education is definitely something to be thankful for. I am thankful that I was able to go to school in Germany, that I had a certain teacher who gave me a chance when I needed it and others who supported me along the rest of the way. I am thankful for the outstanding and committed teachers I had in college, who sometimes went way beyond their obligations for an interested student.
I hope you have a wonderful weekend!
I had committed college instructors too. Educators do not get the pay or recognition they deserve, but they teach and inspire others just because of inner dedication to improving their small spheres of influence. Teachers never know which students are going to cure cancer or help come up with a solution to pressing and dire problems that we all face. Thanks for stopping by. 🙂