• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Prayer Wine Chocolate

a spiritual journey to motherhood & beyond

  • Home
  • Wine and Chocolate
  • Faith
  • CSMI
  • Adoption
  • Life
  • Prayer Journaling
  • Resources
  • About
  • Contact
  • Be Yourself!: A Journal for Catholic Girls
  • Donate a Be Yourself Journal
  • Catholic Coloring Pages
  • Shop

Aug 26, 2016
Faith· Life

Mother Teresa’s Advice For Teachers

MotherTeresaadvice

This post contains affiliate links.  Please see my About Me page for more details.

Tosha and Jeanice walked into my classroom and gave me one of those looks only women have the power to give.

The look that says, “I don’t like you and I don’t trust you.”

I felt it penetrate me.  It was my first year as a teacher, and I was doing my best to act un-phased.

But I was phased.  The way they looked at me got me to the core.  And I will admit, I was a little intimidated.

It probably didn’t help that they were entering my classroom because I was their “math” teacher and I knew I went to school to be a social studies teacher. I was perfectly capable of teaching my students how to find the area of a triangle and pre-algebra; but the way they looked at me magnified every thought of self-doubt I had inside of me.

How was I going to teach these girls?  They were tough.  They were street wise.  They saw things and knew things girls their age really shouldn’t know, hear or see.  How could I reach them?

The reasons why parents choose certain schools for their children vary greatly.  Some choose schools because they want their child to learn about their religion, others choose schools because they like the community they are in and feel the district is decent. Others choose a school based on academic intensity.  Some choose a school because attending it is a family tradition.

safeschool.jpg
In the city, many parents choose a school based on “where will my child be the safest?”

Even if some parents do not admit that is why they chose a school; it’s a truth.  The school I taught in was a Catholic school.  The education provided there was superb.  The faith instilled was solid.  But that was not why most parents chose that school.  Parents chose that school because it was a safer space that the public schools around it.

The neighborhood in which this school was located had gangs living and recruiting in it. The crime rate was high and it was one of the neighborhoods you often heard about on the news when they talked about shootings.  The realities these girls faced were not typical of most American 12 year olds.

street-graffiti.jpg

 

But for some reason; God put them in my care for an hour or so a day.  I wanted to reach them.

While thinking about how; I came across some advice from Mother Teresa.  She had just passed away the week I met these two girls; so she was being discussed on the news and in many circles.

I remember reading these words credited to her:

Smile at one another; that will help you grow in love with each other.

smile.jpeg

For the life of me, I can not find this quote anywhere now.  But back then, I read it somewhere.  I thought, what a great idea.  I can try that!

So I went into work and thought, I am going to test this idea.

Tosha and Jeaniece walk into my class right next to each other like they did every day.  They have their tough girl faces on.  I look at them and give them the most fake, cheesy smile I have ever given.  They look at each other and crack up.

They were totally laughing at me and thinking I was nuts.
Daily Boutique Deals

But I broke them.  That tough girl look went away for a brief moment.

I continued to give them a fake smile every day they came in.  Eventually I was laughing at myself.

Eventually, my smile became real.  Eventually, that tough girl look no longer walked into my classroom.  Soon these two young women were walking into my classroom, smiling at me and saying “Hi Miss Gould” with the most genuine, beautiful smiles!

I am getting emotional just thinking about them and this awesome memory!

I ended up LOVING these girls and enjoyed teaching them and their classmates so much.  At one point towards the end of the school year, there was an assembly.  I don’t remember it, but I do remember it must have been about the birds and the bees because the boys and girls were separated.

What I do remember was that afterwards I had all the girls in my classroom.  I remember sitting on a desk in the middle of them and they were all circled around me.  They were asking me personal questions about my first boyfriend and you can probably guess with your imagination what things they wanted to know.

askingquestions.jpg

I shared with them my thoughts and experiences.

Afterwards another student, whom I felt close to, said to me.  “Everyone likes you a little more now.”

A fake smile turned into a real smile.  The real smiles created a trusting relationship. That trusting relationship grew into something more.

Thank you Mother – I mean Saint – Teresa.

That advice – ‘smile at people and it will help you love them’ stuck with me.  I have used outside of the classroom as well as in it.

I totally and highly recommend trying it out.  Especially with the people you see often who you are having a hard time loving. In fact, I need to really follow it again too.

Although I could not find the original wording of the way I recall reading that advice; I have found this quote:

“Every time you smile at someone, it is an action of love, a gift to that person, a beautiful thing.” Mother Teresa

The gift of a smile is something all of us can give.  No matter how old we are, how much money we have or what experiences we are going through – we can give the gift of a smile.

Simple. Powerful. Universal.

If you smile at me I will understand / ‘Cause that is something / Everybody everywhere does in the same language” – Wooden Ships, Crosby, Stills & Nash

You can get this coloring page as an instant download! It comes in a package with 19 more inspirational coloring pages! Click here to get yours!

Interested in learning more from Mother, soon to be officially Saint – Teresa?  Check out these affiliate links!


Daily Boutique Dealsnbsp;

 

Mother Teresa: Come Be My Light: The Private Writings of the Saint of Calcutta

Screen Shot 2016-08-26 at 10.44.47 AM.png

Mother Teresa and Me: Ten Years of Friendship

Screen Shot 2016-08-26 at 10.46.23 AM.png


Share206
Tweet
Pin8
Share1
214 Shares
Previous Post: « A Prayer About Balance
Next Post: 20 Seconds A Day. . . »

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Alicia says

    August 26, 2016 at 10:36 pm

    Beautiful! And so timely. Thank you for sharing your experience. I’m going to make a point of smiling more. 🙂

    • Amy says

      August 27, 2016 at 9:04 am

      Thank you Alicia! You just made me smile!

  2. Alicia Potvin says

    August 27, 2016 at 9:25 am

    It reminds me of what I have told my daughters when they work at jobs with difficult people. Always be cheerful, cheerful will beat anything coming your way. It did for me in our inner city school. The more cheerful I was, the easier the parent was to work with. As to my stories, I thought on getting them published but it didn’t work out so they stay on my shelf. Oh, and I put my last name so Alicia and I wouldn’t be mixed up, I think it was happening – LOL.

  3. Trina says

    August 29, 2016 at 10:26 pm

    What a beautiful story, thank you for sharing!

  4. Sara @ To Jesus Sincerely says

    January 23, 2017 at 7:12 pm

    Amy, I was a math teacher too! It’s like instant. wall. Everybody hates their math teacher right?! lol. I remember working so hard to connect to those kids. I love the attitude you took, amazing!

    • Amy says

      January 23, 2017 at 8:19 pm

      Thanks – Thank God for Mother Teresa’s advice – I don’t know what I would have done without it!

  5. Cindy Coleman says

    September 22, 2017 at 8:44 pm

    Great article. I love the quote you closed with, last year as I learned more about St Mother Teresa around the time of her canonization I added that quote to my email signature so I read it every day and spread it around. 🙂

Primary Sidebar

       

Amy is the Co-Founder of CatholicsOnline.net

10 Free resources

10 Free resources

10 free resources for subscribers!

10 free resources for subscribers!

GUIDE: How to Plan your Own Prayer Wine Chocolate Retreat

Be Yourself! Journal

Journal for tweens and teens

prayerwinechocolate

Do you ever feel like you are not doing enough? O Do you ever feel like you are not doing enough?

Often I need this reminder - God doesn't want us to feel stressed.
He wants us to rely on Him - trust Him.

He wants us to love.
Be patient and kind.

Many saints have discovered this and have advised us in their own words.

Saint Katharine Drexel said, "peacefully do at each moment what needs to be done."

Saint Teresa of Calcutta stated, "never worry about numbers, help one person at a time and start with the person nearest to you."

Saint Therese', the Little Flower, demonstrated again and again how much Jesus delights in her little way.

You don't need to be stressed.
Your little acts of love and trust for Jesus delight Him.

Have a better day 😉
#Catholicquote #LittleFlower #CatholicSaint #Catholicsaints #catholicencouragement #Catholicinspiration #CatholicsofInstagram #CatholicInstagram #ChristiansofInstagram #InstaCatholic #Catholicsocialmedia #CatholicsOnline
Easter is the perfect time to encourage prayer wit Easter is the perfect time to encourage prayer with a gift!
These gifts and more available in my little shop!

#Catholicshop #Catholickids #Catholicwife #CatholicChristian #CatholicEaster
Easter gift ideas for Catholic boys… #Catholicbo Easter gift ideas for Catholic boys…
#Catholicboymom #Catholicmom #Catholic #Catholics #Confirmationgift #CatholicChristian #catholicmemes #catholicreels
Be Yourself Journal on sale for $17.00… today on Be Yourself Journal on sale for $17.00… today only!!!
“Be who you are and be that well. So that you may bring honor to the Master Craftsman whose handiwork you are.”
~Saint Francis DeSales 

#Catholicbooks #CatholicSaints #CatholicMom #Catholicgifts #boystomen #Catholickid #Catholictween ##Catholickids #saintquotes
Striving for Sainthood can be as simple as this… Striving for Sainthood can be as simple as this… 

This type of advice can be really helpful for all of us… especially for a young girl navigating middle school or her early teens.

This advice would have helped me.
Why?

Because it takes some pressure off the high expectations often felt by us as individuals.

It makes God’s will for us feel achievable and realistic.

It’s totally relevant to a student in junior high
(And a slightly stressed out adult)

This page in the Be Yourself embraces scrapbooking fun- just like the back cover. Only this page encourages photographs. Yes, actual printed ones 🎞️📸

Take a deep breath.
Love the next person that comes near you.
#Catholicmom #Catholicsaints #middleschool #juniorhigh #Catholicquotes #inspirationalquotes
A prayer and the story behind the picture… Oh S A prayer and the story behind the picture…

Oh St. Joseph whose protection is so great, so strong, so prompt before the throne of God, 

I place in you all my interests and desires. Oh St. Joseph do assist me by your powerful intercession and obtain for me from your divine son all spiritual blessings through Jesus Christ, our Lord; 

so that having engaged here below your heavenly power I may offer my thanksgiving and homage to the most loving of fathers. 

Oh St. Joseph, I never weary contemplating you and Jesus asleep in your arms. I dare not approach while he reposes near your heart. Press him in my name and kiss his fine head for me, and ask him to return the kiss when I draw my dying breath. 

St. Joseph, patron of departing souls, pray for us.
Amen.

My children had off from school on Friday. I had committed to an hour of Eucharistic Adoration on Fridays from to 2 to 3 during Lent… so since they had off, they had to come with me.
It was stressful.
They CAN NOT sit still.
Once I got one to stop walking around or talking, another one started.
But in the middle of all this… I witnessed a sweet moment.
I hesitated to pull out my phone because I really try not to during Adoration.
But, the beauty of the moment struck me, and I had to capture it.
📸 
Motherhood is hard. Parenting is difficult.
But I’m often reminded it’s like farming… and I’m planting seeds.

I just hope and pray I’m planting more good seeds then bad ones.

Thank goodness we can pray and ask for prayers from others!

Saint Joseph, pray for us!
#Catholic #Catholicmom #mustardseedfaith #catholicteacher #CatholicChristian #CatholicSaint #CatholicSaints #catholicparenting #liturgicalliving
THANK YOU! Thank you! Thank you! If you have left THANK YOU! Thank you!
Thank you!

If you have left a review on Amazon for either of the Be Yourself Journals… thank you from the bottom of my heart!

When you leave a review on Amazon it makes me SO HAPPY… plus it sends a signal to Amazon to show more people these books!
I’d love for more girls to get this book in their Easter Basket this year!

I’m so grateful this book is being used and appreciated!

God is good!

If you like this book and haven’t left a review, please write one! It’s okay if you didn’t buy it from there!

Tag someone with a 10 or 11 year old girl!

#Catholic #Catholicmom #liturgicalliving #litany #Wwp #CatholocChristian #CatholicEaster #CatholicEasterbasket #ComeHolySpirit #trueidentity
I can’t believe in the past week I’ve posted 4 I can’t believe in the past week I’ve posted 4 videos on YouTube!

And last week’s interview with Dr. Matthew Breuninger (@askacatholictherapist ) still has me thinking about the “psychology of prayer journaling “!

The last 4 videos posted consist of two new interviews (Jessica Castillo from @athrivingcatholic and Dr. John Spitzer @johnspitzermd ); 

a box opening of @pinksaltriot ‘s latest JOY BOX and finally 

a “how to” video that demonstrates how girls can design the back cover of Be Yourself: a Journal for Catholic Girls!
Whew!

Dr. John Spitzer shared parenting advice for moms and dads of tweens;

Jessica Castillo shared how our physical and spiritual health are connected;

The Joy Box had some fun surprises… one will be going in my daughter’s Easter Basket;
And my friend’s daughter was the perfect co-host in the “how to design “ video!

Tell me which topic interests you the most… maybe I’ll dedicate an Instagram post highlighting that content!

#Catholic #BeYourselfJournal #CatholicYouTube #Catholicyouth #CatholicsOnline #catholicsofinstagram #Catholicblog #Catholicauthor #Catholicblogger #catholicinspiration #Catholictalk #joybox
FLASH SALE ON BOY’S Journal ends tonight!!! Link FLASH SALE ON BOY’S Journal ends tonight!!!
Link in bio!
#Catholic #Lent #bhlent2023
“I got this for my 10 yr old daughter’s Easter “I got this for my 10 yr old daughter’s Easter basket. She immediately was attracted to it. Later, she came to me and said that it was her favorite item in her basket. She loves it and really has spent time with it. It is motivational, inspirational, engaging and most importantly, designed to encourage a habit of prayer and meditation at a young age. All while focusing on God’s love for us and our uniqueness…”
Review left on Amazon about Be Yourself:a Journal for Catholic Girls
#Catholic #RomanCatholic #BeYourselfJournal #BeYourself #Catholicmom #Catholicgift #Christianyouth #Catholicyouth #journal #prayerjournal #catholiccrafts #Catholics #Tweengirls #tweengirl #Youthministry #bookstagram #Catholicfamily #catholicphotography #Catholicprayers #catholicreels
FLASH SALE!!!! Boy’s journal sale ends MONDAY!!! FLASH SALE!!!!
Boy’s journal sale ends MONDAY!!!
Finish up Lent strong… and add this fun book to an Easter Basket!
Link in bio!
#Catholickids #Catholicmom #Catholicyouth #CatholicChristian #Catholic #catholicyouthministry #Catholicdad #Catholicgift #Eastergift #Easterbook #Easter #easterbasket #Lent
I adore you Jesus, true God, and true man, pres I  adore you Jesus, 
true God, and true man, 
present in the Holy Eucharist, 
kneeling before you 
and united in spirit 
with all the faithful on earth 
and all the saints in heaven. 

In gratitude for so great a blessing, 
I love you with all my heart, 
for you are worthy of all praise 
and adoration. 

Lord Jesus Christ, may I never offend you with my lack of love. 

May your Eucharistic presence refresh me in body and soul. 

Mary, Mother of the Eucharistic Lord, pray for me 
and obtain for me a greater love for Jesus. Amen.

#EucharisticAdoration #Lent #EucharisticRevival #BlessedSacrament #40hours #prayforvocations #Catholicmom #Catholicsonline #manyhailmarysatatime #catholicsofinstagram #Holyhour
Seriously, if all the @catholicsonline shops had a Seriously, if all the @catholicsonline shops had a mall I’d… I don’t even know… it would be AMAZING!!!
#RomanCatholic #Catholicgifts #Catholicmom #Catholicwoman #Catholicwife #Christiangifts #SaintJude #CatholicSaints #Catholicshop #Eastergift #Eastergifts #Catholicsonline #Catholicreels #catholicsofinstagram #prolife
Have you ever seen a statistic and thought… thes Have you ever seen a statistic and thought… these numbers are NOT in my favor?

Years ago, I was lonely, depressed and wondering if I would ever not be lonely and depressed.

I dreamed of falling in love and getting married.

But, I wanted to marry a faithful Catholic man… and I believe I saw that only 22% (?) of Americans were Catholic.

And then I thought…
Half of them aren’t men, a large percentage are not practicing and … also how many are BOOMERS?

Lucky for me, God math goes like this…
5 loaves 
2 fish
=
5,000 meals and leftovers 

This is my handsome husband and our awesome nephew with the Bishop that Confirmed him on Friday.
Matt was -and is- such a proud Sponsor and Uncle!
God bless Grayson Patrick FRANCIS!

Thank you God for all of your gifts!!!
“You pay God a compliment when you ask big things of Him.” ~ Saint Teresa of Avila

#Catholic #confirmationsponsor #CatholicSacraments #EucharisticRevival #EucharisticAdoration #ComeHolySpirit #Saintquotes #CatholicSaints
Don’t you love when a plan comes together for a Don’t you love when a plan comes together for a retreat and you see joyful faces! 

Listen, this is the best retreat hack for Catholic girls!
****The Be Yourself Journal Scrapbooking activity.****

Give each girl a Be Yourself Journal.
Explain how, “We are all called to holiness but we take different paths.” ~ Saint Katharine Drexel.

Have each girl pick out a Holy card and two Catholic stickers.

Put scrapbooking paper and Catholic washi-tape (thank you @thestumpofjesse ) on the tables and get them started with decorating the back of their journals.

As they work add more stickers and quote cards to their table.

Point out that they were all given the same set of instructions… yet each cover design is unique.

The same is true for their calling!
God has a unique mission for each individual.

He calls us to follow the Commandments, embrace His Word and trust the teachings of the Church…
same set of basic instructions, different yet BEAUTIFUL results when followed!
“Be who God meant you to be and you’ll set the world on fire!” ~Saint Catherine of Siena
Huge thank you to the women who donated journals and holy cards!!!
#holycards #Catholickids #Saintquotes #BeYourselfJournal #Catholic #Catholicstickers #Catholiccrafts #Saintquotes #Catholicyouth #Catholicyouthgroup #Catholicretreat #Confirmationretreat #Catholicretreat #catholicteacher
Not sure what to do with all those prayer cards? Not sure what to do with all those prayer cards? 

Holy cards can be a fantastic prayer journal prompt. 

Copy the prayer off the back and glue the card to the page ;next to, underneath or above where you wrote the prayer).

Follow me for more prayer journaling tips!
#Catholicjournal #biblejournal #Prayerjournal #prayerjournaling #bissisterhood #Catholicsonline #Jesusandcoffee #Lentideas
Getting ready for a Confirmation Retreat this week Getting ready for a Confirmation Retreat this weekend!

So excited to help these young Catholics see that each is called to holiness… but each mission is unique and unrepeatable!

Huge thank you to the women who donated journals for the retreat (11 donated!!!) and the women from my Bible study group who donated Holy cards!

If you would like to donate a Journal for one of the girls attending the retreat this weekend… send me a private message and I’ll explain how!

Holy cards are GREAT prayer journal prompts!

Which Holy card would you put in your prayer journal?
#prayerjournal #Catholicsaint #Confirmationretreat #Catholicretreat #catholicprayer
Keep at it!!! Don’t give up and Don’t give in! Keep at it!!! Don’t give up and Don’t give in!!! “The world offers you comfort… but you were not made for comfort, you were made for GREATNESS!”
Pope Benedict XVI
#Catholic #Saintquotes #prayfastgive #Lent #Catholicreels #Catholicmeme #Catholicmemes #catholicsofinstagram #Catholicmom #faithandfamily
New post up on the blog!! I found some awesome Hol New post up on the blog!!
I found some awesome Holy Spirit themed gift ideas!
Link in bio!
#catholicgiftguide #ComeHolySpirit #Catholicmom #religiouseducation #Catholicgifts #shopCatholic #catholicsonline
Holy Spirit activate!!! New gift guide up!!! One m Holy Spirit activate!!!
New gift guide up!!!
One might say … these gifts are on FIRE!!!!
Check it out… link in bio!!!
#holyspiritactivate #Catholicgifts #Catholic #confirmationgift #Catholic #youthministry #Catholicyouth #Catholicteen
Load More Follow on Instagram

Footer

       
a spiritual journey to motherhood & beyond

Copyright © 2023 · Cultivate Theme theme by Restored 316