Potential

Never underestimate the power and potential of the human spirit.

This is a quote that I kept on the wall of the resource room when I worked at the high school. I think that it captures the spirit of the struggling students that I taught. They were actually capable of quite a lot, but were usually held back, more than anything, by their own doubts. Because they didn't believe in themselves, their choices were often poor until others eventually lost faith in them also. Like these tightly closed flower buds, they held promise, but had become too afraid of failure to try. Getting past those fears and self-doubts by assuring them of their value, regardless of success or failure, was key in unlocking the potential that each guarded within themself. Nurturing them with skill-building and techniques that complemented their individual learning styles gave them the tools for growing.

Working with kids again, at every level, has brought this concept back to me. It is why I teach, why I keep going back to the classroom, why I am repeatedly drawn to the "difficult" students. I love to see them quietly, tentatively, yet triumphantly bloom as they begin to see their own potential and where they fit into life. It is a priviledge to be even a small part of this awakening.