Hello
Friends!
I have reason
to be at the top of my little world today - it is the last day
of school!!!
It is 8:30 am as I write, and there is not one student or teacher
without a smile and a lot of anticipation written all over them.
It is a bittersweet feeling, saying "good-bye" to
some eighth graders, but knowing they are changing and growing
and ready to fly from this nest to their bigger nest at high
school.
As I reflect upon
the year, I self-evaluate. How could I have been a better teacher?
What things did I miss that I should have covered this year?
If I had only done this, maybe Johnny would have responded better
to me... did I do my absolute best every day during the past
year? How many of us self-evaluate? When things go wrong or
we are just plain ornery, do we blame the circumstances, or
the people around us? Seems like there are more people that
out in the world today than there are self-evaluators, and I
have to wonder where it comes from. Does it start in the home?
Does it start when people become adults (chronologically) and
feel that the world owes them? Being raised in a shame-based
family wasn't all great, but it did create a spirit in me of
"it's all my fault". While this is not at all healthy
and there was overkill on the guilt growing up, I believe a
certain element of self-evaluation is necessary. If a student
fails a class, that is my fault - I could have done something
differently to avoid a failing grade. If my kids are angry with
me, I immediately look to what I have been lacking in my relationship
with them to create this reaction. On the other hand, sometimes
my children are angry because I have imposed a consequence for
behavior - and that is life. But what is important about everything
we do is determining the root of what is happening, what role,
if any, we played in it, and how to change it if we can.
Take loading a
horse in a trailer, for instance. If you have a horse who won't
load, do we automatically blame the horse and beat it until
it gets into the trailer? For some horses, that action will
affect them for the rest of their lives. For others, they will
want to avoid the negative attention and jump in the trailer
in a panic. For others, they will fight back for all they are
worth and you'll never get that horse in. We need to determine
the cause for why that horse isn't loading. If it is fear, they
need time and coaxing (a little grain never hurt, did it?).
If you don't have time, don't bother to load a fearful horse.
Are they just plain stubborn? Are they unfamiliar and this is
a new situation? Self-evaluate - be aware - be sensitive - be
willing to try another way.
It is reality
that not all people think alike, and so it follows that not
all animals think alike. Maybe it is a God-given gift to be
able to "read" the hearts and minds of people and
animals, or maybe a lot of this comes from self-evaluation.
What a surprise to find out that I cannot make everyone see
things my way by force! As I look back over the past year with
some of the most difficult children I have ever had to deal
with, I knew immediately that I could not effectively teach
them by imposing my rules and my way of doing things on them.
I could not force it. I could not make them learn, and I could
not make them behave. They had to want to do it. Talk about
sleepless nights the first semester of the school year! I found
that love and unconditional acceptance were the first thing
the students responded to. A smile - a pat on the back - a true
sadness for bad choices, but always an encouraging word to "turn
the day around" and know they have second chances, or as
many chances as they need for growth and success. Now they are
gone - bound for a bigger world - and forever leaving an impression
on this teacher's heart, just as each horse does that visits
the farm. Always remembered - never forgotten - a second or
third chance for poor chances - always unconditional love and
the time needed to do things right, even when my mind and heart
are tired of waiting to see the change.
Thanks to all
those who have recently donated their time by being foster families,
doing clinics or other fund raisers, or spending their own hard-earned
dollars on advertisements for horse expos and the like. Also,
another big "thanks" to Cinderella Farms for the donation
of a breeding to their Friesian stallion. We will plan on selling
raffle tickets throughout the summer for the breeding, and also
the hand-made bridle from Dale, as well as many other items.
The drawing will be held this fall. The first place we will
plan on selling raffle tickets will be at the upcoming Pleasant
Ridge Waldorf School Horse Show in Viroqua, WI the last weekend
in June. They have asked us to take part by being present with
an informational booth, and we are honored! If you need raffle
tickets for an upcoming event, please notify our office and
we will mail you some.
Jo, thanks so
much for the recent $560 donation!!! Jo has adopted a Standardbred
mare named Natalina and then several months later adopted Natalina's
daughter, Bad Alice. We never expected such generosity and the
money has been put to great use in paying for recent bills.
Open house is
still every Saturday - stop on in. Day camps are pending, as
we are waiting for grants from two separate corporation. Wish
us luck! We are hoping to salary one instructor and purchase
some safety equipment.
We have an addition
to our family - his name is Mack - and he is an AQHA gelding
born in Kansas, raised in Nebraska and trained as a roping horse,
and now my husband's new roping horse! Yes, Craig is going to
try roping again, and this little quiet six year old might be
just the horse he needs now that Brittany is in official retirement
at age 26. Let's hope Craig's back holds up, because the will
and determination are certainly there. Thanks to our friend
and professional trainer, Ray Waters, for allowing us the privilege
to give this great horse a home.
Everyone is happy
and healthy at the farm - Falcon IN Flight was missing Tristinette
for a day, but Man the Ship and he are now hard, fast friends
but Ruby Sign, frail as he is, still rules the arena with his
body language! We are hoping Ruby Sign will be adopted this
weekend.
Chief continues
to look better with each passing day, and this week I will begin
ponying Cricket behind Chief with a saddle on and get her used
to the area's pastures and roads for the first time. Chief will
be a terrific teacher!
I don't know if
I have left anyone or anything out, but please e-mail me with
any suggestions for the next news letter.
Happy Beginning
of Summer!
Susan
