Elevator Ride

My 7th grade student that I'm mentoring, we'll call her M, is on my mind this morning. I will see her later today and I'm reflecting on last weeks time. I met her in the hallway of the Middle School and asked her to sit down on the bench for a minute.

I offered her a couple of ideas, "We could go into the counselor's office and play a game, we could go into the Library and share some conversation, reading magazines, etc or we could go outside and walk the track." She stared thoughtfully at me.
"Or," I said, shoulders shrugging, "you could pick something else you'd like to do."
Her eyes instantly lit up and her face became bright. "Could we ride the elevator?" she beamed hopefully at me.
"Of course we can!!" I was so excited to have an open door from this shy and introverted girl.

We rode the elevator, several times, and when we came out she was almost skipping down the hall. She told me that ever since she started at this school she has wanted to ride the elevator, but didn't want to break the rules. She had recently befriended two girls, one blind and one wheelchair bound, in hopes that one day she would get to ride with them in the elevator. She was elated to do something that had been so elusive to her just moments before. It was as if the possibility of achieving the impossible had landed right into her hands and she could feel it! This quiet and shy girl, who 1 week ago could barely tell me her favorite color or hobby, proceeded to tell me all about her dreams, her goals, her friends, her family, and even her passions for the next 40 minutes. I wonder what marvelous mystery awaits M and me today?

Teacher Influence

This week I've been thinking about making a difference in the lives of kids through mentoring. It's interesting for me to look back at the adults and teachers that invested in me as I was growing up. Most of them probably have no idea the influence they had on me. My favorite teacher was in Junior High, Mrs. Antcliff. She was a happy teacher who always saw the best in her students. She was the kind of teacher who truly engaged with her students and focused on individual growth. She left a significant impression on my soul. I had a Spanish Teacher in high school, named Senora Segal, who probably was one of the most influential teachers in my life. She didn't really ever say or do anything amazing. She was tranquil and consistent. Mostly, she was positive and always pointed out what I was doing right, which really drove me to start believing in myself.


I just wanted to take a minute today to highlight someone who does this everyday! My cousin, Shannon Grabow (soon to be Wislang), is an Elementary teacher at the International School of Manila. She is an uber creative, full of life, and positive influence in the lives of kids every single day! Check out one of the latest videos she made with her class http://grabows.ism-online.org/2011/02/23/the-3-rs/ What an inspiration!


Take some time this week to appreciate a teacher in your life!

Mentor a Child

Friday is here. It's my day off, which means no email, no strategy meetings, and no phone calls. It means time to rest, to unwind, and to have fun. It also means something new for me, mentoring.

I learned this year that the Texas Departments of Corrections sets their ten year budget based on the reading tests scores of Texas third graders. The city of Austin, and surrounding areas is taking the idea of mentoring school kids seriously. Local school districts are partnering with non-profits and churches to try and provide thousands of mentors for local students. So, I jumped at the challenge and now spend an hour every Friday with a gentle spirited and shy 7th grade girl at Wiley Middle School.

Mentoring is one of the most underrated forms of relationship. There have been so many people in my life who "accidentally" mentored me. It was nothing formal. There was no plan or agenda, and often times they didn't even know they were mentoring me. I was just watching them live and catching the things that I needed to catch. When we humbly step into the life of another, with no agenda and no selfish motives, it is transformational for both people. I have no idea where to take this girl, how to get her to open up, help her trust me, or challenge her in helpful ways. It's a complete mystery.

Something beautifully mysterious happens when we choose to give our life away, expecting nothing in return. So, I'm ready, bring on the mystery!!