The Story of an Educator in a Quaker School...

I believe strongly that Quaker ideas and values should be addressed explicitly in the elementary classrooms. I also believe that the children in those classrooms need to be exposed to a community of people who value and are led by those same Quaker ideas. I’m of a mind that there needs to be a balance between Quakerism being “caught, not taught” and children needing someone to explicitly lead them in the social and spiritual component of a Friends’ education. As one of the clerks of my Lower School QLC community, I believe that my role is to create and curate a collection of tools that teachers, parents, and students can use in the course of their Friends education. I don’t believe that my role is to define or dictate how each member of my community interprets, delivers, or shares these tools. I am merely a fellow traveler who is ready to lend my metaphorical binoculars when someone is confused or unsure of which direction might be clear or beautiful or interesting. I also believe that, as a teacher of students who are just beginning their Friends education, I have a responsibility to provide age appropriate foundation blocks for future learning and discovery. As a teacher of our youngest children, I introduce Quaker testimonies in visible, audible, and tangible manners. I have created a classroom culture that includes language, traditions, and behavior that are rooted in Quakerism. I make careful choices, read diverse stories, and share my own truth as an example of letting one’s life speak whenever possible or appropriate.