Certain events over the last few days have caused me to pause for a second and think about what really matters. The first event was the shooting in Arizona over the weekend and the second a funeral I attended yesterday for a 17 year old boy.
I know for me personally I worry about the economy, what unforeseen expenses I may have, and other what now seem to me as trivial things.
The events of the past few days have given me a perspective of what really matters in my life as a husband, father, friend, and educator.
Here is my list of certain things that really matter
• My faith
• My family
• My friends
• Have I worked up to my potential today
• Did I help others maximize their potential
• Did I have a positive impact on someone’s life
Each one of these things have many different subsets too many to list.
As I tweeted last night we need to care about what really matters and make every day count.
I am fortunate to be in a profession that on a daily basis I have the ability to impact and change the lives of my students. However that comes with a tremendous responsibility as well. Our focus must always be how will this impact my students’ and will this maximize their potential and have a positive impact on them. If Yes then we must Do It!
However what works for one student may not work for another and therefore I think we need to be careful, myself included of not making generalizations about different things. Our barometer or measuring stick should not be is this “thing” good or bad but will this ‘thing” maximize student potential and have a positive effect on my student or students.
A great post Akevy
ReplyDeleteMaximizing student potential rests in our ability to realize that although there may be "black and white" ways of doing and seeing things, everything in the world of adolescence is 'grey.' What may maximize experience for one child will not work for another; what may be seen as good thing by one could be seen as counter productive by another.
We are fortunate to be in a profession that on a daily basis gives us "the ability to impact and change the lives of [our] students." What it also does, at least for me is this: in helping each child I in turn get the opportunity to reflect on my own "potential", my own being, and its worth to those around me.
What really matters? Well this job (I prefer to think of it as my vocation)- working with students and doing as much counseling with the adults as with the kids - helps me figure it all out. It's what I tell my students when they ask me why I became a Principal: "because it allows me to have interactions that in their continued significance make me a better human being."
Gino
ReplyDeleteThanks for your comments.
I couldn't agree more with the things that you added.
Love your quoter at the end
Thanks for Sharing
Akevy