The men in my family were military men!  My grandfather and all of his brothers fought for our country in one capacity or another and represent all of the Armed Forces. During my grandfather’s funeral, we had the US Military do a flag ceremony in his honor.  Once done, the soldier knelt down in front of my grandmother to give her the flag and with such conviction, empathy, sympathy, and honor said: “We extend our deepest condolences for your loss.”  

Those simple words awoke something in me and it was then that I realized the magnitude of what my grandfather and all the veterans of this great country sacrificed for us.  It was then I saw my grandfather and all veterans as Heroes.  Now, my grandfather has always been my hero because he’s my “Grampy” and He’s amazing…SMILE!!! But he truly was a hero for our country and the words of the soldier put that reality in perspective on that day.  My grandfather and uncles were lucky, they came back to us and lived extremely long and fruitful lives, but many of their counterparts did not.  They sacrificed their lives so that our nation could live lives of freedom!  They put their and their family’s needs, wants, and desires to the side for the betterment of our entire nation.  They protect us! A true life of patriotism!

“A hero is someone who has given his or her life to something bigger than oneself.”

~JosephCampbell

We can learn a lot from the veteran’s life and apply it to how we educate our children.  According to the dictionary, Patriotism depicts a devoted love, support, and defense of one’s country.  The qualities and benefits of being a patriotic veteran is a wonderful example for teachers who endeavor to create positive classroom environments and impact the lives of their students in a meaningful way.  Let’s look at this more closely:

• Common Mission, Vision, and Goals: Veterans have a common mission and vision no matter the reason they entered the military. The all endeavored, persevered, fought for, and believed one thing… their contribution was going to protect the nation and that would accomplish the goal to make society our better.   Our students need to know that their contributions matter!  They need to know and feel that what they are working toward is something that is going to make an impact in their community and beyond.  They need to know their efforts are for something greater than themselves.  The veterans are successful because this thought process and notion is ingrained in their mind which affected their actions.

• Purpose Driven Learning Environment: Veterans have a purpose and they believe that as long as they work hard toward the goal, success will soon follow.  Because of their purpose, they are not swayed to and fro with every obstacle that comes their way.  They remain focused, they were able to push past the obstacles no matter how hard they could be so that they reached the goal. Our students need a purpose.  They often ask why they have to learn a certain topic not because they are trying to be difficult or “smart-alecky” but they are truly curious on how certain topics play into their purpose and future success.  As educators, it is our job to help them understand the “Why?” and encourage them in the times where difficulties come!  We are to remind them of their purpose when they lose sight and we are to guide them toward success.

• Teamwork and Collaboration: Because Veterans were surrounded by others with the same mindset, mission, vision, goal, and purpose it made it easier to band together and accomplish the tasks they set out to do.  They had each other’s backs!  When one felt weak, the others would support him, encourage him, even carry him at times to ensure that they all completed the mission together.  As educators, we must create an atmosphere in which our students rely on each other more than us.  Students need to know that they can look to their peers when they are in need.  They need to know that their gifts and talents can support and empower someone else and learn how to do use them in that manner.  Overall, students need to know that they can band together to reach success!

• Passion Ignited/Sparks Flying: Our Veterans were ignited by the passion to ensure that their family and their country was safe!  Their devotion to their country was ultimately driven by the passions they had for the greater good of all the people they were connected to. Our students need their passion ignited!  As educators, it is our responsibility to expose them to/give them something worth fighting for.  By doing so, we will create patriotism to the world of learning!  We will unlock our students’ potential, we will give them a foundation of beliefs that will lead them on a journey toward great success, we will give them purpose, and we will lead them on a path designed just for them.

Creating this type of classroom where students feel safe, cared for, empowered, etc. will fill their hearts with gratitude for you and each other.  This is where the long-lasting friendships are built and you become that teacher they remember for the rest of their life!