Life with the Higgins Fam

Friday morning we had an all-district meeting at Pleasant Valley Baptist Church. The keynote speaker is usually fairly boring, and something we endure. Not this time. The speaker was Dr. Rick Rigsby, from Texas. The man was a phemonal speaker, and was given a standing ovation when finished; first time I remember that happening. He mixed humor with his powerful message. And when he finished his final story, I can guarantee there was a not a woman in the audience who didn't have tears in her eyes.

He based his speech on his book, Lessons from a Third Grade Dropout. All were lessons his father, a maritime cook, taught his son. He made each lesson relate to the classroom situation, but these lessons are universal, and really apply to any situation. I thought I'd share them here. If only everyone in the world followed these guidelines...

Don't judge based on what you see.
Don't be so quick to judge others
Better be an hour early than a minute late
Kind deeds are never lost.
People follow kindness.
Always look for people you can help
If you're going to do a job, do it right
Stand!

He spoke a lot about the lessons we can learn from the generations before us, the ones who worked hard for everything, and were grateful for even small things. He urged us to become teachers who really make an impact on students, not just a passing impression.