Education | Thank you Letter to Teachers

International Committee of the Red Cross
https://www.icrc.org/en

Youth Suicide Rates Increased During the COVID-19 Pandemic
https://www.nimh.nih.gov/news/science-news/2023/youth-suicide-rates-increased-during-the-covid-19-pandemic

Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, The Father of Flow
https://www.cgu.edu/people/mihaly-csikszentmihalyi/

Tommy, The Who
https://youtu.be/txA_FXWX7Po?si=GcF4FhZbxGWXZbv0

Everglow, Coldplay (Acoustic Alternative Video)
https://youtu.be/XUPHmKPWFmM?si=NRc2S_QmM8KO_JI6

Everyday People, Sly and the Family Stone
https://youtu.be/YUUhDoCx8zc?si=F1Xto4iIZFyQQ8B8

In a world of cheaply made bargains, the social and commercial determinants of health are not jargon! Thank you for taking the time to listen.  ciao, for now.   

drmichelabull.com

Transcript

Episode 5 Education |A thank you letter to 2 teachers

By Michela Bull, DHSc

Education deserves more 

than a mere chapter 

in our repertoire 

called Copacetic Health

but there’s no need to make a case for Education

Statistically, it speaks for itself! 

Education reads the writing on the wall 

and all the books on the shelf

It writes the songs of life

and it when it comes to health 

It’s stellular, not stealth!

In the last episode

We named the domains

Called Social Determinants of Health

We began with every teacher’s pet, Education! 

This week, as promised, 

an ongoing chapter.

For edification and clarity 

I was going to discuss Education’s bestie, 

Economic Security

Because it, too shares friends with Education, 

along with Housing and Food

As all the determinants do… 

But Dear Listeners, let’s face it,

the last month 

has been one of duress,

with local and global violence.

Nothing but full-court press

to another, 

and yet, another family and generation-altering sadness

Many of the surrounding complex issues are germane to the creation of this podcast. 

This so-called jargon is not just elementary, secondary, vocational, 

and university 

The determinants are connected because 

HEALTH IS INTERDISCIPLINARY!!! 

Education is never a one-time situation 

It’s preparation 

in perpetuation, 

or in perpetuity 

If you prefer!

One’s education 

most often determines 

one’s Economic Security 

Considerable countries have populations, 

with a majority 

under the age of 25

Not poised to thrive 

but overly burdened with the demands of simply staying alive 

Disrupted by social conflict, war, climate change, economic tides

What happens to a young person’s dreams 

And desire to strive?

In my local community, 

we’ve been in mourning too

Because our children, our future still suffer, 

And remain traumatized too

It’s heart wrenching to feel helpless, 

and hopeless about what to do

During such times of obliteration

Am I to write redundant reams 

about the benefits of Education?

In the hope that it will bear some elucidation. 

and bona fide illumination

Or should I be real

about the collective consternation

that’s pungently hangs in the air?

I’m not sure whether it’s worse 

as a mother, a sister, or a teacher 

To be aware of people’s treatment

on the spoiler 

called social media.

Especially our younger ones 

They’re so brutal to each other.

Because the last few weeks 

Have felt so heavy, 

so filled with grief 

Because so many children are suffering 

without any peace, 

in need of mercy and relief.

For all the children who served then

And in all manners of service now

Whether by conscription or as volunteer

They, too are the world’s children

They, too, are someone’s beloved children

Among the worst of hostilities

health care workers disappear.

Without any guarantees

Drafted by some of the most 

civilized of societies 

after centuries of wars

we have enough humanity 

to form the ICRC

international humanitarian law 

in best esprit de corps and amity

but after decades and decades

the results are 

medical neutrality as anomaly

In my local community 

We’ve been mourning, too

And we can’t cast any judgement

Because in our own negative ways

We disregard children 

Just like you 

So much future squandered 

under the age of 25

Generations upon generations 

of human tragedies 

on all sides, enshrined

Because my salted tears restored me anew

And because it’s the season of gratitude,

I’m going to try my best not to be blue

So, I wrote a thank you 

To 2 teachers I knew 

Two early educators I would like to share with you

Words from a grateful former student’s heart 

And hopefully, herein

I’ll pay it forward 

with some of what I learned 

from them

Because so many times 

I’ve missed our conversations. 

And so, Dear Listeners, after the brief pause, 

please listen to a thank you letter 

To 2 former teachers, 

and a meager tribute to Education

Because no matter who’s children 

no matter who’s children

All children deserve a world of adult protection and safety

Served up 

with quality health care and education

delivered safely!

**Brief pause with music**

I think about the teachers I’ve had, 

including the ones 

I was convinced were bad

Time, of course, has swept names 

and faces from memory,

but whenever I need them

the lessons taught me are recalled 

oh so swiftly

They’re stored as gifts

sealed in a vault of reliability,

and peppered with nostalgia’s bittersweet humility.

I’ll share a story 

About two teachers among the enumerable

One teacher was Mrs. G 

And she was the Grammar P

As in Grammar Police 

Her knowledge about words was vast

And she kept after us 

How else can I say it?

Mrs. G was Grammaticus!

and while her occasional ayre 

could at times feel uncomfortably tired 

she was always dependable 

to answer diagrammatic questions

on parsing out our sentences 

into specific pieces

such as parts and labor 

so we would know how 

to put them all back together 

with capitalization and punctuation

all in proper places,

without leaving too many spaces 

as we practiced grammar and penmanship

with the all-but-forgotten-thing,

called cursive. 

I still refer to the rules she planted in my head

In her presence no one was ever bullied

such rebellion in her classroom 

would have been unheard of!

I had another teacher, Miss C. 

And she was unequivocally

the best teacher I’ve ever had 

she shared the art of music 

She said, 

It’s a universal language 

Like Math, just more fun instead!

Because this is how we shred….

we can play instruments 

we can dance a ton 

We can put words to music 

and from time to the next time 

It’s how we’ll communicate.

It’s how we’ll beat life’s drums!

From Beethoven to the Temptations

Music, she said, 

Is its own ocean

Where’s there’s no shore

The compositions are infinite

Music is equation, sum, and score!

Oh, dear Miss. C

Crowned with the so chic chignon 

How you hide those hair pins 

So no one could see!

You had such flair  

And like every great teacher, you shared!

My teacher, Miss. C., 

While I don’t know for certain

She must have been trained, classically. 

Because she was a master of the piano, you see? 

As well as the keys on every instrument,

If you please….

As a note on a sheet 

She taught us how to write C 

The code known only to the band 

philharmonic and the symphony

She took a group of neighborhood kids 

and instead of a bunch of screaming heads 

She transformed us into a choir

As if we were an ensemble 

on tour!

We danced the square,

and no matter 

how awkward we felt

In her class 

we were among the galante

the debonaire!

Whether it was the reel, the waltz,

The tango or the tap

She taught us 

every culture had its own beat 

and irreplaceable step!

Because that’s what humans do 

together in a rep

After we lost our shyness and embarrassment

Without hesitation 

She’d have us moving 

All our bodies to the rhythms, 

Despite diversities 

and ranges of development. 

Miss. C was the BEST!

She knew, we’d figure out the rest

Only with a teacher, 

so knowledgeable 

so filled with passion

could such amplified micro-cellular magic happen!

She’d always let her sweet approval show

Because she helped us shake our timidity

She joyously watched us grow 

And as we danced 

more and more 

steps together 

Her warm smile 

would signal 

the cast of music’s everglow, you know?

We’d fallen into delightful flow

Music melted away our fears 

And our natural inhibitions, 

for such public exhibitions. 

With music education 

Miss C taught us 

Music is academic 

It’s human tradition!

We forgot life’s heavy tears

And despite the years 

What Miss. C taught 

Was tried and true 

When we humans 

Tune into 

our universal ears

We’re an unstoppable collaborative

we cooperate

we celebrate 

When we want to scream out loud 

When we feel frustrated 

Even when we feel irate 

Miss C held up the wax and said,

These composers are all dead

But they too were rockers 

And they too can feed our head

Whether she took us to the 18th century

Or described a recent concert attended 

Played by younger troubadours 

on the ascendant 

The common denominator, 

her message, 

Music’s transcendent!

Whether they liked to play loudly

Known as forte

Or sing with softer voices

Otherwise known as sotto voce

Just like the rock of Bach 

She’d say,

Students, 

Like these old geezers

these composers have long hair, too

and something relevant 

to say, musically to you!

Just like Mozart and Handel

The band, The Who wrote an Opera, too!

About a boy named Tommy 

He was a young one with fears

Here’s the album 

Let’s give it a hear! 

Dear Listeners,

Do you, have a song, or 2 

that you, hold near and dear, 

to you, too? 

To that question

my response is,

Uh, huh….

Of course, you do!

With this letter of gratitude 

Silly, nevertheless sincere 

Of all the songs she taught so well

The one that continues to ring my bell

Everyday People by Sly and the Family Stone

Because from yesterday 

until this very one, 

it’s a lesson 

that we humans need to be reminded of 

time and time again

Dear Miss. C.

Wherever you may be

Please know that your lessons from back in the day 

are still with me

Music is our live score

Several generations of adults just like me 

Used to be students in your classroom, Miss. C. 

Music was your discipline 

And the method by which you’d herd 

Our unpolished but hungry appetites

For the finest of universal blurbs

Music is a common ground 

Where we meet and help each other understand 

The visible and intrinsic 

Despite life’s traumas 

music can still make our hearts sing!

When we lay swords down 

When we remember that we are 

Preciously fragile human beings

Capable of les incroyables

Truly incredible things!

That makes us feel 

Hey wait a minute 

Is this yet another reel?

Or the first time 

I’ve heard this song

Or am I just remembering?

A tune that’s hasn’t been written before

and yet 

here we are, together 

singing in unison

as if we’ve sung it together, 

somewhere, before?

Thank you, Mrs G. and Miss C 

for helping me 

In my early days 

to form my phrases 

and tune my ears.

Along with my notes, sentences, and stanzas,

please know, 

I still hold you 2 dear.

And so, I close, 

with hope

that my letter of thank you was clear.