You smell like church

Most of what we learn is unconscious - and the rest we learn through our senses. So that means good teaching is first, modeling, and second, ALWAYS considering multi-modalities...teaching so that they see it, hear it, do it.  John Dewey was right learning = experience.
I was reminded of this yesterday when I walked into the school cafeteria to greet my learners for the day. 7 year old Larisa jumped up and gave me a huge hug which resulted in her face being smashed into my tummy.  She pulled back and smiled...then in her front toothless, African American vernacular ,she said, "you smell just like church".  I stepped back,"Did you say I smell like church?" "That's right - you been to church? cuz you smell just like church."  I thought about that for a second and hugged her, "No one has ever said that to me before - thank you! That is the best compliment anyone has given me in a long time!"
We talked on Sunday and Wednesday with the kids about how Jesus, after being celebrated and honored with a parade of "Hosanna!"s immediately left the cheers and went to a small room, knelt down, and washed the mud and grim off the disciples' feet.  I am pretty sure that did not smell great, but I know the disciples learned a lesson they never forgot...and here's hoping we don't either.  Being the church means serving. Being a good teacher means kneeling down and hugging, wiping away tears, showing what it means to be kind, and being the person that each student needs... and wants to be like.
One of the classes I was in this week as a sub was pretty difficult.  Lots of behavior issues, which means emotional and physical needs bigger than the kids. As I got in the car to leave school that day, I thought about the teacher of those God-created kiddos and prayed for her...knowing that the next day she would be kneeling down and serving, smelling like the church.