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This post is a part of the Carnival of Education this week. Visit I Want to Teach Forever to read more!

One of my school year’s resolutions this year was to simplify life. And one of the numerous ways in which I failed miserably in this goal, was to become a Destination Imagination team leader for a group of seven third grade boys. Possibly the only reason I survived the season with most of my hair attached to my scalp, is that another mom capably stepped up to co-lead with me.

If you’re as ignorant about DI as I was (as well as the rest of this group), here’s a little introduction. The premise is that the kids need to create a solution for a challenge posed by the organization. The challenge is multi-faceted and all the ideas must come from the kids — the team leaders’ jobs are to help the team understand the challenge and rules, facilitate discussion, and keep wrestling to a minimum (did I mention there were seven third grade boys?)

Most of our season — which started in December and ended last weekend — was spent on team-building activities, and it was only in the final month or so that we really made progress toward the solution to our challenge, which included a skit and an experiment. We dealt with many different personalities in this group, and marveled at the tremendous amount of time it takes to move a group toward a cohesive decision, without the adult taking charge.

You might think this should be right up my alley. After all, I’m a school counselor, and my book is about youth empowerment. But you REALLY need to be patient. And have I ever mentioned that this is completely not my strength? Right. That was probably a resolution once too.

Despite this challenging year, despite the fact I’m relieved the season’s over, I cannot deny the tremendous growth experienced by this team. I’m so proud of the way they all participated and communicated respectfully during the instant challenge, and how they performed their competition skit. I’m awed by the mature way the group went to the front of their classroom to discuss at length what they’d learned this year, regarding teamwork and research. And I can’t think of another experience that would have more effectively taught my son how to speak his opinions in a group of peers, to debate potential solutions among those with whom he’d previously remained silent, and to share creative ideas that I didn’t know were in him.

As co-leaders we constantly reminded ourselves throughout the season, about the true focus of this group of green DI members — of the purpose of our leadership, the reason for the challenge, and the way we’d know it had all been worthwhile.

Process over product.

Our mantra worked.

You can join me each week by sharing a time kids make you proud, or a way adults are teaching, sharing — passing the torch. Blog your story or share it in comments.Former PTT posts.

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Sorry – this giveaway is now closed.

Thank you all for participating and congratulations to the winning comments:

number 2 – Julie
number 58 – Mama Zen
Thanks to Random.org for its integer generator.

(Check out our Parenting Preteens giveaway too.)

I purchased the book, Parenting Preschoolers with a Purpose, when I went back to work last fall as a school counselor. I thought it would give me good insight for tips to share with the parents of the four-year-olds in my classrooms. After reading it, I only wished I had it as a resource when my kids were that age.

I think this comment on the back cover is right on:

Parenting Preschoolers with a Purpose will steer you from the turbulent threes through the finicky fives with warmth, imagination, and common sense.

With an easy, conversational style, author Jolene Roehlkepartain connects with parents, and encourages them to take care of themselves, in order to do the best job of caring for their kids. With common-sense, she offers clear, do-able strategies to address preschool child issues (like discipline, naps or dealing with hitting.) Each chapter spotlights at least one Developmental Asset that is promoted by the strategy. And I especially like the “Bonus Ideas” that are peppered throughout the book – fun or informational suggestions to help parents find joy with their kids.

Search Institute Press will give away a copy of this book to TWO readers. To be eligible for the giveaway, please visit Search Institute and come back here to tell us another title that looks interesting as well. (Scroll to the very bottom of this post to find the comment form.) I’ll randomly choose the winners on April 11.

I host regular giveaways for parents and educators – two more big giveaways are planned for April. Please consider signing up for updates by email. I will never spam you or give out your address.

I did a fun photo shoot with Darla and her best friend, Anna. This relationship was one of the most excellent byproducts of our homeschool experiment, and the girls had no problem hamming it up for the camera.

See what I mean? They were royalty…

And cover girls.

Neither of which is easy to pull off in snowpants and mittens.

…which leads to the inevitable snowfight.

Where one vows to give the other a face wash.

And they get mad at each other.

Yeah right.

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On Easter Sunday, our family attended the church I belonged to for most of my youth. In the past few years, we’ve only gone to church a handful of times, unwilling to commit to a congregation during our family’s various moves. But on Easter, the tradition in the music is so moving, it envelopes me throughout the service — the familiarity of the songs I’ve sung for more than three decades.

I graduated with one of the musicians in this church, and in the past when I’ve come to listen to my mom sing in the choir, I’ve always been mesmerized by his inspirational trumpeting. This Sunday, as the congregation began to sing one of my traditional favorites — “Now All the Vault of Heaven Resounds” — it wasn’t our collective voice that inspired me. It wasn’t the power of the beautiful pipe organ. But rather, it was the majestic, yet humble and understated sound of his trumpet, barely audible during most of the hymn, but awesome in the few notes at the end of a verse. And by the final chorus, I was gripped by such overwhelming emotion that I had to stop singing, so my voice wouldn’t betray me and call attention to the tears streaming down my cheeks.

With my eyes, I searched for my musician friend throughout these songs, attempting to watch him work his inspirational magic over us. But, true to form, he remained hidden behind the choir, serving us only by sound. And when he stood up for communion, I noticed him and watched him set down his trumpet — and his handsome 12-year-old son did the same. You see, it’s no longer a single trumpet sounding. Now it’s two.

What a gift to stand beside your son and deliver the Holy Spirit to so many sinners like me.

And what a powerful way to pass the torch…

You can join me each week by sharing a time kids make you proud, or a way adults are teaching, sharing — passing the torch. Blog your story or share it in comments.Former PTT posts.

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