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Do you know what the literal translation of “Alma Mater” is? Read below to see our teachers’ answers.
The translation is "nourishing mother". For a Catholic school educator, "alma mater" translates from Latin as "nourishing mother" and refers to the school that provides care and guidance, fostering the mind, heart, and soul of a student. This concept resonates deeply with Catholic tradition, which invokes the Virgin Mary as an "Alma Mater" or "Alma Redemptoris Mater" (Loving Mother of the Redeemer), reflecting the nurturing, spiritual, and protective qualities associated with a mother figure.
“I did not know this before, but now that I do, I feel like everyone should know it. As a student of Catholic schools, I can greatly relate to the fact that those schools nourished my Catholic faith into the teacher I am and strive to be. Now, as a teacher and mother, I want my students and children to be fed in the same way---totally and completely by our Catholic faith. I am proud to say that I know St. George does exactly this.”
“As teachers and Catholic school employees, we are encouraged to nourish the minds and souls of our students. Just as I pray that we (faculty and staff) have fond memories of the schools we attended, I pray that our students will leave our school with a positive memory of gaining exceptional knowledge and the feeling of being loved and cared for as a child of God. I pray that this task of nourishing the minds and souls of our students and each other remains at the forefront of our goals.”
“So many times I call the students my kids. We spend so much time with them and they become a second family. I think that's why we are so exhausted sometimes because it's not easy being a mother and role model to so many. But I think it's important that we remember our first job as catechists and focus on that because it makes the other part of our jobs easier. At least it does for me. That was always the missing piece when I taught in public school and it's such a blessing to be able to spend time with God each and every class period, each and every day.”
“It is a reference to the academic training one would receive in pursuit of the truth, which is what all universities and lower schools were all about doing at one time. One would pledge loyalty to one's "mother" in gratitude for the intellectual formation that one received at that educational institution, most visibly seen through songs to one's alma mater and financial support.”
“I find it profoundly moving that this was the translation of 'alma mater,' considering that I've always thought of it as the school one once attended. This translation seems to imply a responsibility of a school to foster growth and personal development from teachers who take on a "motherly role" for his/her students. It is an important reminder that we are not just here to relay information so that students learn, but to do so in a way that is loving, nurturing, and merciful. Being a Catholic educator is an added bonus and responsibility in that we have the ultimate "mother" as our guide in educating students to be followers of Jesus by teaching and modeling Gospel values in what we do.”
“Based on the Latin translation, this goes hand in hand with our job as Catholic Educators. Each day being here I am sent "God winks" and reminders of the honor, responsibility, and authority I have been given to teach 4th and 5th graders about Jesus's love and our faith. This is something I do not hold lightly in my heart. We are called to be disciples before discipline- guiding with love before correction and to nurture before we redirect. When we put discipleship first, our students not just learn about Christ but experience them through our example. Discipline will always have its place, and though extremely important, it should come from our love for God rather than just correction. In this way, we provide total nourishment to our students- minds, hearts, and souls.
I say this all the time but THANK YOU for this opportunity to nourish the students here at St. George. I count my blessings each day.”
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