Comments on: What am I trying to Teach? http://www.lindadianefeldt.com/blog/?p=142 A Holistic Perspective Thu, 29 Apr 2010 17:23:27 -0600 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: ldfeldt http://www.lindadianefeldt.com/blog/?p=142&cpage=1#comment-1031 ldfeldt Fri, 18 May 2007 02:19:40 +0000 http://www.lindadianefeldt.com/blog/?p=142#comment-1031 Vanessa, Thanks for your comments and support. I have been honest with the kids, I thinkwhen yo're teaching about drugs and addications and sex and safety you have to be. It is the only thing that works. I tell them the first class I'm an alcoholic - 25 years sober this August. But I am also constantly aware of the parents, the vareity of values and priorities. That it is a number of controversial issues and ideas. The subjects are important enough to have that stress, to find the way to do it, but it is also hard to teach some of the most controversial and personally challenging subjects possible. But it really matters. That's the bottom line. Succeeding here can make the difference between life and death, true happiness and terrible struggle. Life. Vanessa,
Thanks for your comments and support. I have been honest with the kids, I thinkwhen yo’re teaching about drugs and addications and sex and safety you have to be. It is the only thing that works.
I tell them the first class I’m an alcoholic – 25 years sober this August.
But I am also constantly aware of the parents, the vareity of values and priorities. That it is a number of controversial issues and ideas.
The subjects are important enough to have that stress, to find the way to do it, but it is also hard to teach some of the most controversial and personally challenging subjects possible.

But it really matters. That’s the bottom line. Succeeding here can make the difference between life and death, true happiness and terrible struggle. Life.

]]> By: Vanessa http://www.lindadianefeldt.com/blog/?p=142&cpage=1#comment-1009 Vanessa Thu, 17 May 2007 21:22:46 +0000 http://www.lindadianefeldt.com/blog/?p=142#comment-1009 As a fellow educator, I too am taxed with the responsibility of helping kids to see their situations on a more global scale and to help them find their own voice as they cope with harsh realities. Kids appreciate honesty. I have struggled with an eating disorder for more than 20 years and self-injury for more than 30. My experiences have legitimized my voice and my perspective amongst my students. By seeing me struggle, and at times literally fight for my life, my students know that it is possible to rise above adversity. We too talk about coping and various ways of doing so. We talk about the need to feel heard and how to express feelings that seemingly have no way to be expressed other than through addiction, violence or harm of some kind (either to themselves or others). I think it is important for kids to see that it's okay to struggle and admit it and to keep fighting, to keep seeking answers, to keep things in perspective and to learn from their mistakes. Too few adults are honest about their struggles and that's why many kids think that their lives are flawed and others are not. If more kids could see that all people struggle, I think they would feel better about their own situations. As a fellow educator, I too am taxed with the responsibility of helping kids to see their situations on a more global scale and to help them find their own voice as they cope with harsh realities. Kids appreciate honesty. I have struggled with an eating disorder for more than 20 years and self-injury for more than 30. My experiences have legitimized my voice and my perspective amongst my students. By seeing me struggle, and at times literally fight for my life, my students know that it is possible to rise above adversity. We too talk about coping and various ways of doing so. We talk about the need to feel heard and how to express feelings that seemingly have no way to be expressed other than through addiction, violence or harm of some kind (either to themselves or others). I think it is important for kids to see that it’s okay to struggle and admit it and to keep fighting, to keep seeking answers, to keep things in perspective and to learn from their mistakes. Too few adults are honest about their struggles and that’s why many kids think that their lives are flawed and others are not. If more kids could see that all people struggle, I think they would feel better about their own situations.

]]>