The door of the cubby above my desk is cluttered with reminders of how I ought to/want to behave. (I need a LOT of reminders.) One snippet consists of the acronym “COGPOW.” Several months ago, Rev. Paige Williams, senior pastor of First United Methodist Church here in Hopkinsville, preached a sermon featuring those letters. She related that an educator she knew used them as a tool to remember that everyone is a “Child of God, Person of Worth.” Inspired, I made my own sign and taped it up with the rest of my mess, a constant reminder to treat every student, every advisee, every coworker, every colleague as someone entitled to respect and deserving of compassion. Some days it’s easy. Some days….and some people…make it more of a challenge.
Visitors to my office sometimes inquire about the meaning of the word, and I happily share the background. Regardless of one’s religious feelings or lack thereof, it seems to me a good idea to keep in mind. Yesterday one of my colleagues sent me an email with the subject line: “An EXCELLENT cogpow article.” It included this link:
http://mathyawp.blogspot.com/2013/01/the-lesson-of-grace-in-teaching.html
As I read the “The Lesson of Grace in Teaching: From Weakness to Wholeness, the Struggle and the Hope,” by Francis Su, I couldn’t help noticing how many of his ideas, all beautifully expressed, were similar to ones embraced by the authors of this blog. Like Pat Riley, he feels that it’s important to learn the names of our students. He discusses the importance of relationships with students and of being transparent about our own shortcomings. He talks about finding ways to help all students, not just the A’s, feel as though they have met an achievable challenge and have received something of value from the struggle. He’s singing our songs…or the songs we hope to learn… in a clear, eloquent voice.
pleasureteam note: We plan to feature a series of pieces about outstanding teachers. If a teacher has been a role model for you or changed your life in some way, please consider sharing that story. We would love to publish it so that others may learn from that example.
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