"Don't Squelch Them!"

I watched a heart-warming feature the other day on a local television news program. It featured a seasoned one-hundred-three-year-old teacher who had mentored a seventy-something year old teacher who, in turn, had impacted a younger next-generation educator! It was a mentoring stair-step of inspiration, instruction, and influence that continues to be celebrated in their small town of Assumption, Illinois!

Mentors Add Value!
Credit: clker.com

There are names for this story. First, Helen Lehman, is the centenarian mentor who started her teaching career in the 1940’s. She is still active in her community and is often stopped by her former students at the local grocery store. They recognize her and appreciate the value that she has added to their young lives. When asked why she spent so many years teaching children, she simply replied, “I love children! You gotta love kids!”

One of Helen’s mentees and teaching friends is Jane Shull. She learned so many lessons from this experienced teacher back when she was formally mentored by Helen in 1972. They would eventually spend their teaching careers just down the hall from each other. Jane offered these two “take-aways” from her long-term interaction with Helen: “patience and perseverance.” Today, Jane is passing valuable lessons along to Vanessa Rork, a special education teacher, and her mentee and former second grade student. And so, the ripple of mentoring continues through three generations!

Helen made this insightful statement during the interview, “You gotta give a kid a voice! You don’t want to squelch them!” I have used the word “squelch” on occasions, but I don’t’ hear it often. There are several synonyms that can be used for squelching. To name a few: suppress, subdue, stifle, or crush as in don’t crush a child’s spirit. “Giving a kid a voice” enables young students to find their voices, speak for themselves, and within reason, assert their autonomy.

I can remember some years ago seeing our daughter’s parenting style in action. Her preschool daughter (and our beloved granddaughter!), Klaire was upset about something. Melissa looked lovingly and patiently at her frustrated expression and said, “Klaire, use your words!” Melissa didn’t “squelch” or belittle her daughter, but rather, she lovingly tried to get Klaire to stand up for herself and to speak up about what troubled her little self!

There are too many times in life when others try to bully or stifle another person attempting to find their voice. Home should be the first place to teach kindness and a patient response to what frustrates us. It is a lesson that requires active, in-the-moment parenting. Teachers also share a key role in a child’s development. This necessary partnership between home and school will continue for years as children are mentored, given boundaries and skills for relating to others.

The Apostle Paul gave this leadership rubric to Timothy, his young mentee in the ministry - “You have heard me teach things that have been confirmed by many reliable witnesses. Now teach these truths to other trustworthy people who will be able to pass them on to others.” (2 Timothy 2:2, NLT).

Mentoring is like a “stair-step” of adding value to another’s life. It is not something we carelessly rush up and down. Proper instructing requires care, kindness, and some caution like holding a handrail to steady us as we climb up one step at a time.

Who are you building up today? Is there a little person that needs your patient care and kindness? Or is there an adult who needs some of your time, encouragement, and wise counsel? Like Helen Lehman said, “Don’t squelch others!”

Let’s choose to add value by helping others discover their voices and potential. Love is our motivation and the reason we “Teach others… who may be able… to pass it along… to others!”

Mike Keppler, retired pastor,
active churchman and
doting grandparent.
Contact: drmjkeppler@gmail.com
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