Recently a familiar face came back into the school where I teach. Scott Warren, a friend who had retired last year, was back to sub for the econ teacher next door to my room. This occasion had a definite sense of nostalgia for me, because Scott used to teach across from my room, and I spent many minutes in between classes standing on the corner of the hallway with Scott and a few others. Having good people to have good fun with at your place of work is important. Having them to teach with is essential. And Scott is good people. On a lot of hard days, Scott made life in education fun. Frankly, there’s been a piece missing from the second floor at my high school this year without him.
Anyway, Scott was back recently. We knew he would be, so myself and another teacher made it officially “Scott Warren Day.” We brought in donuts and cookies. Bottom line - we had fun. All day I was reminded of how important the “old bulls” are in life.
“Old bull” is a term I became familiar with during my time at Nora Springs. While I won’t go into the story of the term’s origin, obviously it refers to someone with a great deal of experience. The term is a necessary one because those with a great deal of experience see the world and approach the world differently from “young bulls.”
Having an old bull like Scott Warren around made for a great day. The staff in my area seemed happier because he was around. Banter picked up. Full laughs replaced chuckles. There seemed to be more energy all around. And more respect. This was all because an old bull was around.
More than anything, I guess, I want to extol the virtues of age in this blog post. I’m certainly not saying anything earth-shattering by pointing out that old bulls are usually full of wisdom and are very effective at what they do. What I am getting at, though, is that I don’t think enough is being done to gain from the old bulls.
Take education, for example. It’s hard to find a lot of old bulls in education any more. Money drives just about every decision possible, so early retirement packages are thrown out to anyone who will take them. The decision is often not hard for the old bulls, because another common practice in education is disregarding the wisdom of experience to make room for whatever is new. I’d jump at the opportunity to retire early as well if I was constantly ignored as a resource and have my work mistrusted because it doesn’t conform to the newest reform buzz words of the day. Not only are classrooms being filled with inexperienced teachers, it’s rare for those without experience to be encouraged to learn from those who do have it. If the public wants to rail about the problems in education in America, we can probably start there.
I think of churches as well. There seems to be a lot done to keep newer, younger members happy and attracted to church in the name of growth. The trend for many churches away from hymns and towards trap sets and electric guitars is an example. This is only one example. When I was 18, I was ecstatic to see this. Now that I’m 31, I wonder what we’ve lost because of this shift in focus. How much are the old bulls looked to? I know that for the most part they are respected; but really, how many are used as resources for teaching, advising, mentoring, etc? And how many church members are eager to listen?
Family is another example, and it’s one that’s really hit me as I’ve thought about this topic over the past few days. I’ve always had the utmost respect and love for my grandparents. I enjoy spending time with those still living, and I cherish all the time I had with those who have passed. What I don’t think I’ve done a very good job of, however, is seeking wisdom from them. They have seen some things and lived through events I can’t even fathom. I’m 31 years old, and I can’t imagine my grandparents in any role but that of grandparent. I’ve never though much about them as a parent, as a worker, as someone who has faced and overcome obstacles I’ll never see.
Respect for grandparents and all old bulls is a great thing. It’s not complete, however, without respect for their knowledge as well. I’m committed to seeking out wisdom from those older than me. I challenge all my readers to do the same.
Anyway, Scott was back recently. We knew he would be, so myself and another teacher made it officially “Scott Warren Day.” We brought in donuts and cookies. Bottom line - we had fun. All day I was reminded of how important the “old bulls” are in life.
“Old bull” is a term I became familiar with during my time at Nora Springs. While I won’t go into the story of the term’s origin, obviously it refers to someone with a great deal of experience. The term is a necessary one because those with a great deal of experience see the world and approach the world differently from “young bulls.”
Having an old bull like Scott Warren around made for a great day. The staff in my area seemed happier because he was around. Banter picked up. Full laughs replaced chuckles. There seemed to be more energy all around. And more respect. This was all because an old bull was around.
More than anything, I guess, I want to extol the virtues of age in this blog post. I’m certainly not saying anything earth-shattering by pointing out that old bulls are usually full of wisdom and are very effective at what they do. What I am getting at, though, is that I don’t think enough is being done to gain from the old bulls.
Take education, for example. It’s hard to find a lot of old bulls in education any more. Money drives just about every decision possible, so early retirement packages are thrown out to anyone who will take them. The decision is often not hard for the old bulls, because another common practice in education is disregarding the wisdom of experience to make room for whatever is new. I’d jump at the opportunity to retire early as well if I was constantly ignored as a resource and have my work mistrusted because it doesn’t conform to the newest reform buzz words of the day. Not only are classrooms being filled with inexperienced teachers, it’s rare for those without experience to be encouraged to learn from those who do have it. If the public wants to rail about the problems in education in America, we can probably start there.
I think of churches as well. There seems to be a lot done to keep newer, younger members happy and attracted to church in the name of growth. The trend for many churches away from hymns and towards trap sets and electric guitars is an example. This is only one example. When I was 18, I was ecstatic to see this. Now that I’m 31, I wonder what we’ve lost because of this shift in focus. How much are the old bulls looked to? I know that for the most part they are respected; but really, how many are used as resources for teaching, advising, mentoring, etc? And how many church members are eager to listen?
Family is another example, and it’s one that’s really hit me as I’ve thought about this topic over the past few days. I’ve always had the utmost respect and love for my grandparents. I enjoy spending time with those still living, and I cherish all the time I had with those who have passed. What I don’t think I’ve done a very good job of, however, is seeking wisdom from them. They have seen some things and lived through events I can’t even fathom. I’m 31 years old, and I can’t imagine my grandparents in any role but that of grandparent. I’ve never though much about them as a parent, as a worker, as someone who has faced and overcome obstacles I’ll never see.
Respect for grandparents and all old bulls is a great thing. It’s not complete, however, without respect for their knowledge as well. I’m committed to seeking out wisdom from those older than me. I challenge all my readers to do the same.
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