"I saw an angel in the marble and I carved until I set him free." - Michaelangelo
So much of teaching and learning is uncovering greatness within. Sometimes it's hard for adults to look at a young person and believe that under that hoodie, behind those noise canceling earphones, underneath that surly mood, or disguised by immaturity, greatness lurks. It does though...there is greatness in all of us. In our building's Challenge Day activities, facilitators challenge students to look below the "waterline", or surface, and discover that there is more to each of us. In doing so, as Michaelangelo did, we may uncover greatness.
A recent news story that has made the rounds on the internet and television gave an account of a small diner, where in the holiday spirit and in an unsolciited, random act off kindness, a patron decided to pay the tab for another patron. In turn, that patron paid for others, and the "paying it forward" continued all day. It's this kind of kindness and goodwill that the holidays often bring out in people, and that our best educators employ daily. Education is ,after all, the ultimate "pay it forward" occupation. The lessons of today lead to the innovations and creations of tomorrrow.
The holiday season is the perfect time to look a little deeper, be a little more accepting, and search more passionately for the "angel in the marble". The holiday tradition of gift-giving also reveals one of life's most precious secrets - the greatest and most staisfying joy comes from giving.
Happy Holidays!
No comments:
Post a Comment