A new school year is about to begin. I am dreaming of what the future holds for my students; the sky is the limit! I am so fortunate to be able to play a small part in my students’ lives. I will inspire them to become life long learners, and hopefully, catch a glimpse of their gifts and passions along the way.
Two years ago, I had the chance to be part of a school team to work with No Tosh to develop our school’s North Stars. As part of our initial work, we interviewed students, teachers, and parents. The interviews with students have stayed with me to this day. It was during these interviews that I saw eyes light up when the students talked about what they would like to learn at their ideal school. After the interviews, I wanted to give my students more opportunities to work on what they are truly passionate about.
This past spring I read The Element by Ken Robinson. The Element talks about how finding your passion changes everything. Ken Robinson tells many stories of how people found their true talents and passions and also describes how people had their gifts and talents overlooked when they were young. There is one story of how a teacher overlooked the talents of Paul McCartney and George Harrison in music class. After reading the book, I realized that I have the best seat in the house, a front-row seat to see my students’ true talents and passions shine during the school years.
This year I am lucky enough to be teaching the same group of students that I taught in Grade Three. I did see many eyes light and twinkle up last year. One student has shared that she would love to be an engineer. Another student built his own computer and loves any type of science experiment. There are natural storytellers, physicists, doctors, and mathematicians in our midst. It is amazing to see what students are really passionate about. There are also talents and passions that I have yet to see. I am ready to start a new school year, give my classes plenty of wonderful learning opportunities, and hopefully see the sparkle of many eyes lighting up!