I have recently added the phrase, "A vision articulates a possibility" to my Facebook page to see the comments that would be left. Since I am terrible with delayed gratification, after only one 'like' I moved onto my students to hear their comments. Some students were stuck at the word 'articulates' while others replied, "Oh yeah, yeah I get it Miss (for some reason all the kids use Miss instead of Mrs. such and such)." Anyway, I came to realize that students are the one who should be reading this book. The problem blocking most students is that they have no vision. Therefore blocking most possibilities and missed opportunities.
I look at myself. I always had vision and always steered my course to the direction I wanted it to go. I remember people asking me what I wanted to be when I grew up and I replied with specific details up to to the type of car I would drive. All have come true except my Eddie Bauer Explorer is a Kia Sedona (which most people think is the Cadillac). My visions determined my possibilities. I wish most of my students would see their visions like I saw (and still continue to see) mine, work towards those goals, and not miss opportunities that might belong to them. Like in the movie "Field of Dreams" if you build it, they will come.
@ Pamela…
ReplyDeleteI couldn’t help but smile when you mentioned the lack of vision our students today have. I teach seniors, and the days until graduation are counting down for them. They have vision, but it is focused now on Prom in 11 days, the last class day in 33 days, and graduation itself four days later. Everything else is out of sight, including the reading and response journal that was due today, and the assignments in other classes as well. That is today’s teenager and tomorrow’s adult; as you say, “blocking most possibilities and missed opportunities.”
With that point made, I am so pleased with the results of my project. For most of the last month and a half, I did see vision as they worked on the projects they have been presenting over the past couple of days. And, I saw some unique performances due to some outside the lines thinking from a few of the kids. Those performances grabbed the other kids and brought them into the stories they told so all learned. It has been an awesome time, more than I had hoped for.
Thus, your closing quote, from Field of Dreams, one of my favorite films, does ring true: “If you build it, they will come.” Thanks for your observations.
Great thinking, Pamela! You're so right when you mentioned a lack of vision. Like you, I knew every detail of what I wanted my adult life to be like and that helped me achieve my goals. Creating that vision makes it achievable. This book would be great for high school juniors and seniors and college freshman. Likewise, anyone who reads this book could apply it to their lives and make an impact in their own world and life.
ReplyDeletePamela,
ReplyDeleteI totally agree with you! My students, too, have no vision unfortunately. It's so hard sometimes to try to get them to see past their current situation and dream big. Like you, I have had vision for my life since an early age. It may not have worked out exactly as I planned it, but at least it motivated me to move in the right direction. As I grew and matured, so did the vision that I had for my life. Now if only I could figure out how to get my students to do the same!
This is so true that many of our students lack vision. I was somewhat doubtful about my middle school students because they seemed to never really care about much. My thoughts changed when I moved to high school and have students who are much older and more responsible. They are hoping for the best with FCAT and looking forward to college and working. This book would be a great gift to them.
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed our blog this week. Students do need a vision. Some of them have visions but they are the wrong kind of visions. Instead of them wanting things that will help them in life they have a vision of things that will help them bling-bling in life. When you are a child, that vision has to start at home. There are so many things out there like TVs, movies, music that seem to deter students from a realistic vision. Not saying that they can’t have those things but now they want them quick and easy – which is a whole different story. Instead of reading the vision portion of the book…they need the entire book.
ReplyDeleteGreat observation. It does seem to be something generational that many of my nephews and nieces don't seem to have any idea about what they want to do with their lives. Sometimes I've heard my siblings or others of my generation (or older) interpret this as the younger ones being lazy or slackers. Clearly that's not the case, it's much more complicated than that. Personally, especially as a young adult I hated the "where do you want to be in life five, ten, twenty years from now." And the reason that I hated that question was not a simple one because I was neither lazy nor without possible outlets in my life. It is an interesting thing to contemplate...
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