This week, I met my classes for the first time this semester. As usual, I look forward to the new experiences we will share together as teacher and student. And, as usual, I begin this semester with the desire to help my students learn the skills and concepts they will need to gain greater mastery of reading and/or writing. In the past, I would have said… teach my students the skills and concepts, but I have learned that, in reality, I can not teach anyone anything. I can organize material, guide, direct, encourage, coach, and motivate, but students “teach “ themselves. They must be willing to take the material an instructor offers and work with it until they own it. When students are willing to do this, they are empowered and learning becomes possible. Students must be willing to commit the necessary time and effort learning new skills often require.
To accomplish this learning, students must be determined and believe in themselves and their ability to succeed. Most of us will only put time and effort into things that we think we can readily achieve. I am reminded of a student to whom learning new things does not come easily, but she is determined. That determination has been there to bolster her when she has not done as well as she expected and when she knows the course work will be difficult. Her determination allows her to admit that learning “stuff” is hard but not impossible, and sometimes succeeding takes more than one try.
The back bone of this determination is a strong, unfailing belief in herself. She knows she can succeed even when her results say otherwise. That kind of belief is fundamental to almost every successful endeavor. Without it, the first time an adversarial situation arises, an individual will want to seek a “graceful” way to quit. This student has failed. What makes her exceptional to me is what she does with that failure. She begins again, takes what she has learned and moves toward her goals.
So, at the beginning of yet another exciting school year, my wish for my students is an unfailing belief in themselves that will give birth to a determination that will not allow them to do less than they’re capable of.
To accomplish this learning, students must be determined and believe in themselves and their ability to succeed. Most of us will only put time and effort into things that we think we can readily achieve. I am reminded of a student to whom learning new things does not come easily, but she is determined. That determination has been there to bolster her when she has not done as well as she expected and when she knows the course work will be difficult. Her determination allows her to admit that learning “stuff” is hard but not impossible, and sometimes succeeding takes more than one try.
The back bone of this determination is a strong, unfailing belief in herself. She knows she can succeed even when her results say otherwise. That kind of belief is fundamental to almost every successful endeavor. Without it, the first time an adversarial situation arises, an individual will want to seek a “graceful” way to quit. This student has failed. What makes her exceptional to me is what she does with that failure. She begins again, takes what she has learned and moves toward her goals.
So, at the beginning of yet another exciting school year, my wish for my students is an unfailing belief in themselves that will give birth to a determination that will not allow them to do less than they’re capable of.
