As I was reading through teacher's postit notes of the five attributes they wanted to be readily recognizable in a graduate from our school, I was encouraged by what I saw. They quickly listed things like, confident and ready, courageous and secure, thoughtful and compassionate, as well as test ready and proficient.
I was encouraged by this because these are the things I want for our kids at Collins High School. I want them to be intelligent, but not just in academia. I want them to be talented, but not just in the arts. I want them to be successful, but not just in sports. I want them to be ready, but not just for college. I want them to have "grit," to know how to overcome short term failures. I want them to be empathetic, to love their fellow man. But for this to happen, our kids must believe that there is something great for them at the end of it all . . . they must "EXPECT THE GREATER REWARD!" Their hearts have to be as big as bonfires . . . but they need a spark to light that bonfire. That's where we come in!
I heard a question this weekend that asked, "How does a craftsman explain his vision to a child?" To extend the analogy to that of a common woodworker, a maker of toys, let me paraphrase for you something I recently read:
The toy maker, in his wisdom, does not give the children a perspective that they cannot fathom. Therefore it is rare for the children to clearly see the forest for the trees, or the trees for the lumber, or the lumber for the wooden toy. The toy maker does not fret over explanations; he does not veer from his course. For he alone has the perspective of what his creation will reveal.
Our students cannot fathom ALL that is out there for them. Our teachers were put in this position, in this school, because they help kids dream. So we must encourage them, challenge them, love them, push them, nurture them, correct them . . . not for our benefit, but their own. As teachers at Collins your heart must be a bonfire, radiating with light and heat, ready to ignite another and inspire a dream.
As we go through this process of creating our mission, let's remember that we are teaching the whole child. We want them ready and believing they can overcome any adversity, pass any test, play any instrument, win any contest . . . because their hearts are on fire, because they are Titans!
