Education, degrees, and heart.

Since I'm here with minimal stress, and responsibility I have a lot of time to think. This can be a bad, as I will admit that often my busyness distracts me from the things I try not to think about. But that's a whole 'notha blog! Having time also allows me to think about things that are really worth evaluating.

Yesterday I interviewed an Italian preschool teacher, and a mother/owner of the restaurant I mentioned before. We were talking about education and the stark contrast between methologies of Italy and the U.S. I have some conclusions, and even more questions from an academic standpoint. But at the end, the three of us collectively agreed that people are the same every where. Let me explain...

We were talking about the amount of education that is required of special education teachers and assistants. I'm a big fan of continuing education over time. Without proper education, how could one possibly understand the needs of a child with special needs? This can be learned from experience, but of course, I am of a proponent of going to college.

But still, a degree does not define if someone is a good teacher or good assistant. This will never define motives and heart of an educator. It speaks of stamina, endurance, and commitment... But never the actual heart.

At the end of the day, to teach someone special, requires a special heart. And this cannot be taught. Anywhere you go, you can find terrible teachers and assistants who do a disservice to their students. They literally rob their students of possibilities, and quality of life. But anywhere you go, there are also the teachers and assistants that are called. These are the teachers that would do anything in a shamelesss, courageous attempt to change the world for one child.... Because that one, very special child is worth it. These are the teachers and assitants who give special kids the tools that improve their whole life and family dynamic. This is the heart beat of a true teacher.

This can be said of any profession; of pastors, doctors, mechanics, engineers, counselors, etc, etc. It is always, ever, only about the heart.

Jesus talked a lot about this, that even if we do all the right things, go to Bible college, have the right stats, and look the part, it is nothing. All of those good things are like dirty rags. He was always looking at the heart. He still is. This makes me also think about this world of Catholicism that I'm emerged in, but that too is for another blog.

At the end of the day, my heart's cry is that my heart us aligned right. Aligned in a way that honors the Lord, and others, and serves the Lord and serves others well.