Changing Pronouns

I have always been skeptical of people whose two favorite pronouns are “I” and “Me”.  When you meet those people, gradually inch away, start walking and break into a full sprint in the opposite direction!  They have no interest in you!  The use of pronouns by individuals gives you some insight into their motives.  When we are two years old, me is a popular pronoun.  Ironically, the same could often be true for tweeners.  You are placed on a team and the coach constantly preaches about the importance of “Us” and that there is no “I” in team (unless, of course, you are a really bad speller).  You meet the woman or man of your dreams and you move from “I” and “Me” statements to “Us,” “Our”, and “We” statements. Cards are signed from the both of us.  Presents are from “Us”, but we males know that really isn’t true. Thanks for that.  In marriage, you have a significant other.  Puppy love means you are so into him or her.  Kids come along and the verbiage becomes “Them”.  Their toys become “These”; often referred to as “Mine”.  The family becomes “All” of us.  Marriage moves from “His” and Hers” to “Ours”.  “It” is love and “Anything” and “Everything” is what the other means to you and in true love, well, there is nobody else.  The Bible says to think of others more than we do of ourselves.  “Who did this” is a question to young children with the answer often being, “nobody”. Queen sings about finding somebody to love.  George Harrison wrote a song titled, “I, Me, Mine”.  If you have read this far, you are probably thinking, when is he going to stop?  Okay, I will get to the point of this.

Teaching should never be an “I” or Me” profession.  School buildings do not belong to any single person although they are sometimes referred to in this way.   If we want to make a difference, a true difference, I advocate changing the pronoun. We have to move from “I” to “Us” and from “Me” to “We”.   One wise school administrator (not me) once said to a group of new teachers, “You need to get used to being third.” The kids come first and the school collectively comes second.  At first it’s a little harsh, but after thinking it through, that’s good straight talk for any organization.  I do know this – this business of education takes more than a singular pronoun.  It takes a lot of “We” mentality and “Us” mindsets.  It takes a lot of working hard with others so that we can reach them.  This place is ours.  If you don’t feel that way about this school or for anyone else reading this, then get more involved in your school or place of business so that you can experience the thrill of ownership rather than simply being an independent contractor who visits five times a week.  Anything is possible if we put our minds to it and our sweat equity into it.  Somebody (the kids) are counting on us to lead them in the right way toward the right goals and with the right example.  Don’t minimize that.  It’s the way it is.  Yes, teaching isn’t for everybody.  Thank God for that.  Teaching is for those who want to make a difference for them and work tirelessly with others to make that happen.  Changing the pronoun…I give myself to them so that we can all be better.  That’s good stuff.

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The Browns play against the Raiders in California this weekend.  I am still jacked from the victory over the less than loved Steelers last Sunday.  Two in a row?