Sprint to the End

Several years ago, a group of students decided to end the school year which was their senior year by living each "last" to its fullest. With energy and enthusiasm they planned "the end". They drank from each drinking fountain to declare which one had the coolest and best-tasting water. They used every restroom in the school to decide which one was the cleanest. They went to the last baseball, soccer, and softball games and track meets to support their friends and school. They attended the last dance, dancing every dance, and they attended their "last" classes and discussed what they had learned, enjoyed and endured. That is the way to "endure to the end."

The end of the school year is difficult, especially as the weather gets warmer and end-of-year tests are taken. As a teacher, I always prayed for wet, cool weather so the kids would remain focused on school longer, especially those students at the end of a "stage", 6th grade, 8th or 9th, 12th, and 16th.

Those senior students had the right idea on how to endure to the end. Instead of drudgery every day, it was an adventure. Which drinking fountain is the best? Which restroom should have I been using for the last three years? Have we ever danced every dance? They looked for ways to enliven their last days of school, not just live through them. How can we help our kids enjoy, not just endure the last month of school?

President Boyd K. Packer said, "True doctrine, understood, changes attitudes and behavior. The study of the doctrines of the gospel will improve behavior quicker than a study of behavior will improve behavior." (Ensign, Nov. 1986, 17) Enduring to the end is doctrine, a gospel principle. Nephi taught that it wasn't enough to just get on the path but one had to "press forward...and endure to the end." (2 Nephi 31: 20) It is not enough to just go to school but one must press forward, learn much and graduate! Teaching this principle and guiding them to apply it will be one of the most important things they learn in their life.

Pres. Gordon B. Hinckley said, "Life is not just to be endured, but enjoyed." (New Era, Oct. 2001, 4) Those seniors didn't simply wait for time to pass, they found ways to enjoy the time. Everyone needs something to look forward to. They looked forward to the best drinking fountain hunt each day. What does your student need? What is something they could look forward to? How can you help them? Perhaps it's as easy as marking off the day on the calendar, or taking off another construction paper loop from the summer advent calendar. Maybe it's the end of school year party with friends and a daily preparation for it. Or possibly your student's graduation is in jeopardy and each day is one piece of the graduation puzzle to complete late assignments, take tests, and make-up time for tardiness and absences. Observe your kids and how their behavior changes as the school year draws to a close. Discuss your observations with them. Brainstorm "endurance" techniques, be creative, experiment, and throw in an occasional parent surprise to keep them on their toes.

Sis. Charlynn Anderson tells of the Spirit whispering to her "just endure to the end of today." (Ensign, Aug. 1982, 68) She endured her challenge a moment at a time. Sometimes we look at all of the work to be done and become overwhelmed, but a school year is marked first by periods or subjects which become days then weeks, and finally terms. "Today, while the sun shines, work with a will; Today all your duties with patience fulfill." (Hymn 229)

As an inexperience first year teacher, I saved all the "fun" stuff for the last two weeks of the school year. We made crepes, watched a French movie, played Mille Bornes and became more and more miserable. I learned quickly that the best way to endure to the end of the school year was not to play but to work. My second and subsequent years of teaching were filled with speaking, listening, writing, and reading French with a cumulative final test the last day of class while the fun cultural activities were sprinkled throughout the year. The end of the year sped by and my students and I enjoyed the class and one another much more.

The drinking fountain by the office had the coolest, best-tasting water; the restrooms by the music rooms was the cleanest; the athletes who played spring sports were surprised to see a student crowd; dancing every dance was exhausting. Enduring to the end done right may feel like play, not work.

Student Travel

My father's employment requires him to work with Spanish-speakers; so when I was in high school he encouraged me to take Spanish as one of my elective courses. As I contemplated my course selection, I knew if I took Spanish I would have to work most days of my summer vacation to speak to the Chilean or Peruvian sheepherders, so I chose French instead. French then became my favorite class and a passion.

I changed my major several times in college but always came back to French. I really wanted to teach high school French but didn't know how to do that when my French-speaking skills had never been truly tested in a French-speaking country. So, during the summer between my sophomore and junior year of college, I went to France in a study-abroad program-absolutely one of the best of decisions of my life.

Is traveling abroad a future goal of a child? Here are some things to consider:

1. How old is the child? I don't recommend foreign travel for students younger than 15, unless accompanied by an adult. Once, I allowed a 14 year-old student to travel with my student group and I spent the entire trip babysitting him instead of teaching and learning with the others.

2. What kind of experience does he want/you want for him? This will determine how the student travels. Is it a sight-seeing adventure, a language experience or a cultural affair? Many reputable companies will provide variations of those experiences. Teachers from local public schools often sponsor trips through companies or act as travel agents themselves. Before booking any trip, do your research. Is it a reputable company? Do you know anyone who has traveled with them? If not, do they have references you could check?

3. How will your student finance the trip? Travel is a great opportunity and should be pursued but NOT if it means debt, unless it is absolutely critical to the future employment of a college student following graduation. This is a terrific opportunity to teach students to save money toward some amazing delayed gratification! Students who earned at least some of the money spent to travel appreciated the experience much more than those whose parents paid for the trip.

4. What does your student know about the places he will visit? Traveling is hands-on learning. It is most effective to study the history, art, architecture, people and culture before arriving in the country. Each year I accompanied students, we would spend several months in preparation. Then as we arrived and visited Stonehenge, Versailles or St. Peter's Bascilica, the students could tell me about their significance and importance.

5. What plans have been made for an emergency? Ensure that a plan has been established and know what protocols have been put in place to contact each other if the need arises.

Once the decision has been made and trip scheduled, here are some other things to consider:

• Have your student pack his bags for his trip and then take him on a hike through your neighborhood. A mile should do it. Then have him decide what he can live without. Traveling outside the U.S. includes narrow stairwells, tiny elevators and small hotel rooms. Carrying your own luggage can be challenging.
• Copy your passport information and pack it in a separate bag. It is much easier to replace a stolen passport if you have a copy of it.
• Purchase a moneybelt or passport holder. Keep your passport and the majority of your money in it and wear it at all times, even at night. Put enough money in a wallet or purse for one day at a time.
• Students should always have a buddy. I lost a student once in the St. Louis airport when we went to the terminal on the left and he went to the right. It took an hour to find him.
• Teach awareness. Some students are very aware of what happens around them and others are clueless. Spend some time with your student going places and observing. A heightened sense of awareness is a necessary safety skill when traveling in unfamiliar countries or regions.
• Know your child and their spending habits and send enough money. One student had what I considered a large sum of money for our trip and I worried another didn't have enough for 4-5 days. In the end, I had to wire home for more money for the student who already had lots of money and the other student arrived home with the most money still in his pocket.

My trip to France was a defining moment for me. I felt free to pursue my dream because I had proven to myself that I could speak French and therefore teach it. It increased my self-confidence and my knowledge of the world around me. Unfortunately for my father, it didn't help my Spanish much.