tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8955155520122173178.post6864670511110624786..comments2009-10-18T11:27:22.500-07:00Lee of MWOBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04971330113441169156leemwob@gmail.comBlogger20125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8955155520122173178.post-39095317393259749632009-10-18T11:27:22.907-07:002009-10-18T11:27:22.907-07:00Thanks for this great post, sorry I&#39;m so late in responding, Annie. I so admire you for teaching. There are not many other professions out there that warm the heart and deserve to be put on a pedestal as a &quot;hero&quot; for children as teachers. <br /><br />Thanks for what you and your colleagues do. We are only 2 months into high school and I&#39;m amazed with my daughter&#39;s teachers and all they put into their job. She can tell the difference between the ones who love their job and those that are completely disconnected to her and her classmates. <br /><br />Anyway, its great for us to think about what you said and think about this video. These are two colleges that are small, state colleges, not in the upper echelon of NCAA sports, but I&#39;d dream my kid in any educational/athletic situation where their teammates were quality people - not at all based on wins or losses. <br /><br />Just like we should never judge our kids on a standardized test result. Or a letter grade. Or the amount of clubs they joined.<br /><br />My aunt (a former high school counselor) suggested to my daughter that colleges would want to see her involved in a couple clubs (especially service-oriented clubs) and committed and involved in those than joining ten and barely participating.<br /><br />Thanks again for this, Annie!Karenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01224604816374609110noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8955155520122173178.post-33510541864533737872009-10-15T19:30:14.074-07:002009-10-15T19:30:14.074-07:00It is all about balance. Honestly though I feel like great character can get you just as far as good grades.Evolving Mommy Catherinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02396529445805781031noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8955155520122173178.post-30789748825997822112009-10-15T12:26:58.642-07:002009-10-15T12:26:58.642-07:00Video is just amazing. great post, great inclusion of video. We don&#39;t give grades for the important things. Odd system really.Angelahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08026552625213055923noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8955155520122173178.post-45973099047375278832009-10-15T11:46:48.557-07:002009-10-15T11:46:48.557-07:00What a wonderful post! I know as a mom of an Aspergers kid, I LOVE when other kids include him and show how caring they can be. I will take character building over letter grades any day.AmyLKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09569843147080971050noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8955155520122173178.post-76701102750361544352009-10-15T11:41:28.856-07:002009-10-15T11:41:28.856-07:00Thanks, all! I promise next time to make you laugh to tears, not cry!Anniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05779674385680471352noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8955155520122173178.post-1773306763949039932009-10-15T07:56:17.150-07:002009-10-15T07:56:17.150-07:00Okay Annie - that was awesome. I had not watched the video until now...and wow. Gives me hope about how I hope my girls will turn out. Although after the morning I just had with them trying to get them out the door for school, I&#39;m not so sure what will become of them. :-)<br /><br />But wow. This is the stuff that matters. So much more than grades. I wish more parents would remember that getting good grades does not secure a happy future necessarily. But being connected to other human beings does. And having the kind of character these girls exemplified united us with others and THAT makes our life way more fulfilling than any honor roll can. <br /><br />I really love this post. And character is one of the main reasons we chose to send our kids to Catholic Elementary School in the hopes that the development of character and empathy for others is given a little more attention than in maybe a public school. <br /><br />But I still think it&#39;s our job at home most of all to develop that kind of thoughtful character....and this post/video is such a great reminder to me to keep it always at the forefront of our minds.<br /><br />P.S. You made DEB CRY!!!!! That is a first! Congrats Annie - keep &#39;em coming!! :-)Lee of MWOBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04971330113441169156noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8955155520122173178.post-15416522780271484772009-10-14T21:19:08.440-07:002009-10-14T21:19:08.440-07:00Annie, <br /><br />Such a wonderful post. You are so right about focusing on character over grades. I want my kids to do well in school, but more importantly I want them to be good people.<br /><br />Thanks for the video (and the good cry!). I can tell you are one amazing teacher...your students are lucky to have you. :-)kathhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15133464481045009359noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8955155520122173178.post-55464041973430712052009-10-14T21:00:41.421-07:002009-10-14T21:00:41.421-07:00Thanks for sharing the video....Just out blog hopping on tonight...really should be working... Hope you will stop by my Christmas blog and leave your favorite Christmas song...and enter a great giveaway. Also, a birthday letter to my daughter on my main blog...http://teresa-grammygirlfriend.blogspot.com/<br />http://grammyababychangeseverything.blogspot.comTeresa @ Grammy Girlfriendhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05151128140345216126noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8955155520122173178.post-19022784863793599332009-10-14T17:51:26.956-07:002009-10-14T17:51:26.956-07:00okay, i have to confess that i wrote my comment before i watched the video, because your post touched such a nerve with me (obviously). so now that i have watched the video, i have to say, i am crying, too! and just ask lee... i NEVER cry! thanks for the &#39;feel good&#39;, annie!Debhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07896271627723253157noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8955155520122173178.post-91535570590273521752009-10-14T17:38:15.312-07:002009-10-14T17:38:15.312-07:00how true, how true... this is a major topic in my head and in my world right now. with my oldest starting to look at colleges and all the hype surrounding being in a good school district, the poor kid is convinced he won&#39;t get into college, and he is a SOLID B student. there is so much pressure to produce, with little attention to developing the whole person. his friends (and their parents) are so busy clawing their way into activities, teams and &#39;societies&#39;, regardless of their actual interest, simply to pad their college applications. none of us can be on our A game ever day, so why should our kids be expected to? the bad thing about me, though, is i tend to rebel against the bad behavior and the ridiculous expectations, and i worry i might be doing a disservice to my kids, by not trying to manipulate things to give them an advantage. i guess we&#39;ll see... i really hope for their sakes, that none of our kids are pumping gas in 10 years. but i really hope they&#39;re not looking down their noses and not taking the time to say a friendly hello to the gas pumpers, either.Debhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07896271627723253157noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8955155520122173178.post-65453903875175225712009-10-14T16:12:16.019-07:002009-10-14T16:12:16.019-07:00So beautiful! Thanks for sharing that, Annie. I think we all get caught up in the letter grades and forget that character developement is so important.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8955155520122173178.post-53436701057141535202009-10-14T12:29:12.486-07:002009-10-14T12:29:12.486-07:00Thanks for the reminder that grades aren&#39;t everything!Under the Influencehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02921336810725430983noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8955155520122173178.post-38448970693973851272009-10-14T11:45:32.348-07:002009-10-14T11:45:32.348-07:00I love your blog, keep up the great work!<br /><br /><br />http://harlemshaterade.blogspot.comHarlem's A Hatinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17927234771768698718noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8955155520122173178.post-60140577765218295382009-10-14T11:42:34.072-07:002009-10-14T11:42:34.072-07:00Thank you for restoring some of my hope in future generations. Well done to their parents. And well done to all the girls. <br /><br />Having just started back into this education world with my Oldest in first grade, I am amazed at how much has changed since I was in school. And regretfully, most is not for the better.<br /><br />Great post Annie. You keep up the good work and the good fight. I promise to as well.<br /><br />Right after I retouch my eye makeup :-)Emhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00084508582913500810noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8955155520122173178.post-38039676196323676882009-10-14T10:59:04.905-07:002009-10-14T10:59:04.905-07:00There is so much more to school than good grades. This was such an awesome post. My eyes are tearing up. I strive to teach my children character like this.Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10399156539354549499noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8955155520122173178.post-52288753991527733642009-10-14T09:47:29.549-07:002009-10-14T09:47:29.549-07:00Oh Annie, I&#39;m bawling right now from that video and I just put my makeup on! <br /><br />Very touching. Very well written. Very true. Give me character over high grades ANY DAY.Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06801962129600420128noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8955155520122173178.post-36046994902310133182009-10-14T09:09:55.251-07:002009-10-14T09:09:55.251-07:00I agree that there are characteristics not found on the curriculum that are so very worthy and will prove successful later in life. What has to be frustrating to a teacher is that you have to work with whatever walks in your door (which can be a very diverse group of abilities) and be accountable in making sure that child passes standardized tests. These days the administrators and curriculum are designed as if every child is college bound and they are not. And that is OK. That should be OK.Michele Reneehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17030846420862437581noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8955155520122173178.post-23458813230653523632009-10-14T09:04:30.789-07:002009-10-14T09:04:30.789-07:00Thanks for the reminder. I know, I have two that are not academic types and one that is- I have different expectations for them.<br /><br />You&#39;re such a grown up with your grown up job and stuff- I&#39;m so impressed!Tenakimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08297336965363813911noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8955155520122173178.post-18276042337983611602009-10-14T08:56:12.628-07:002009-10-14T08:56:12.628-07:00Very well said. Keep up the good work, you are influencing many lives.Beccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08169738955846222411noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8955155520122173178.post-37541872748460030572009-10-14T06:56:12.359-07:002009-10-14T06:56:12.359-07:00Beautiful video - loved this postMissy Litzingernoreply@blogger.com