The dinner guests were sitting around the table discussing life. One man, a CEO, decided to explain the problem with education.He argued, "What's a kid going to learn from someone who decided his best option in life was to become a teacher?"
He reminded the other dinner guests what they say about teachers: "Those who can, do. Those who can't, teach."
To stress his point he said to another guest; "You're a teacher,Bonnie. Be honest. What do you make?"
Bonnie, who had a reputation for honesty and frankness replied, "You want to know what I make? (She paused for a second, then began...) "Well, I make kids work harder than they ever thought they could.
I make a C+ feel like the Congressional Medal of Honor.
I make kids sit through 40 minutes of class time when their parents can't make them sit for 5 mins without an I Pod, Game Cube or movie rental...
You want to know what I make?" (She paused again and looked at each and every person at the table.)
I make kids wonder.
I make them question.
I make them criticize.
I make them apologize and mean it.
I make them have respect and take responsibility for their actions.
I teach them to write and then I make them write.
I make them read, read, read.
I make them show all their work in math.
I make my students from other countries learn everything they need to know in English while preserving their unique cultural identity.
I make my classroom a place where all my students feel safe.
Finally, I make them understand that if they use the gifts they were given, work hard, and follow their hearts, they can succeed in life. Bonnie paused one last time and then continued.)
"Then, when people try to judge me by what I make, I can hold my head up high and pay no attention because they are ignorant... You want to know what I make?
I MAKE A DIFFERENCE. What do you make?"
THERE IS MUCH TRUTH IN THIS STATEMENT: "Teachers make every other profession"
Monday, February 22, 2010
Monday, February 15, 2010
Our Parents- Our Living Gods !
Few days back when i had gone to a park for my evening walk i came across an elderly couple sitting on a bench looking completely dejected and lost talking to each other.
Tired myself and also curious to know about their topic of discussion i went and sat next to them.
After a few moments what i could gather from their conversation was that their only son had migrated to America and they were left alone back here. Every sentence they said to each other conveyed to me their longing their loneliness and their unconditional love for their only son.
My eyes literally welled up with tears and in that instance i realised just how selfish we children have become. In our pursuit to achieve our goals and ambitions we tend to forget the two most important people of our lives our parents.
Those parents who protected us when we were young those parents who nurtured us physically and mentally and guided us through our lives, those parents who wanted us even before we were conceived.
What has the fate of these parents become now? most of them are languishing in old age homes most of them are leading a life of complete loneliness and most of them are discarded when they fall ill.
Why do we children of our parents forget that we are what we are because of these two special people who brought us into this world protected us from nightmares and who encouraged us to chase our dreams.
Tired myself and also curious to know about their topic of discussion i went and sat next to them.
After a few moments what i could gather from their conversation was that their only son had migrated to America and they were left alone back here. Every sentence they said to each other conveyed to me their longing their loneliness and their unconditional love for their only son.
My eyes literally welled up with tears and in that instance i realised just how selfish we children have become. In our pursuit to achieve our goals and ambitions we tend to forget the two most important people of our lives our parents.
Those parents who protected us when we were young those parents who nurtured us physically and mentally and guided us through our lives, those parents who wanted us even before we were conceived.
What has the fate of these parents become now? most of them are languishing in old age homes most of them are leading a life of complete loneliness and most of them are discarded when they fall ill.
Why do we children of our parents forget that we are what we are because of these two special people who brought us into this world protected us from nightmares and who encouraged us to chase our dreams.
Monday, February 8, 2010
The Seed
A successful business man was growing old and knew it was time to choose a successor to take over the business.
Instead of choosing one of his Directors or his children, he decided to do something different. He called all the young executives in his company together.
He said, "It is time for me to step down and choose the next CEO. I have decided to choose one of you. "The young executives were Shocked, but the boss continued. "I am going to give each one of you a SEED today - one very special SEED. I want you to plant the seed, water it, and come back here one year from today with what you have grown from the seed I have given you. I will then judge the plants that you bring, and the one I choose will be the next CEO."
One man, named Jim, was there that day and he, like the others, received a seed. He went home and excitedly, told his wife the story. She helped him get a pot, soil and compost and he planted the seed. Everyday, he would water it and watch to see if it had grown. After about three weeks, some of the other executives began to talk about their seeds and the plants that were beginning to grow.
Jim kept checking his seed, but nothing ever grew. Three weeks, four weeks, five weeks went by, still nothing. By now, others were talking about their plants, but Jim didn't have a plant and he felt like a failure. Six months went by -- still nothing in Jim's pot. He just knew he had killed his seed. Everyone else had trees and tall plants, but he had nothing. Jim didn't say anything to his colleagues, however... He just kept watering and fertilizing the soil - He so wanted the seed to grow..
A year finally went by and all the young executives of the company brought their plants to the CEO for inspection. Jim told his wife that he wasn't going to take an empty pot. But she asked him to be honest about what happened. Jim felt sick to his stomach, it was going to be the most embarrassing moment of his life, but he knew his wife was right. He took his empty pot to the board room. When Jim arrived, he was amazed at the variety of plants grown by the other executives. They were beautiful -- in all shapes and sizes. Jim put his empty pot on the floor and many of his colleagues laughed, a few felt sorry for him!
When the CEO arrived, he surveyed the room and greeted his young executives.
Jim just tried to hide in the back. "My, what great plants, trees, and flowers you have grown," said the CEO. "Today one of you will be appointed the next CEO!"
All of a sudden, the CEO spotted Jim at the back of the room with his empty pot. He ordered the Financial Director to bring him to the front. Jim was terrified. He thought, "The CEO knows I'm a failure! Maybe he will have me fired!"
When Jim got to the front, the CEO asked him what had happened to his seed - Jim told him the story.
The CEO asked everyone to sit down except Jim. He looked at Jim, and then announced to the young executives, "Behold your next Chief Executive Officer! His name is Jim!" Jim couldn't believe it. Jim couldn't even grow his seed.
"How could he be the new CEO?" the others said.
Then the CEO said, "One year ago today, I gave everyone in this room a seed.. I told you to take the seed, plant it, water it, and bring it back to me today. But I gave you all boiled seeds; they were dead - it was not possible for them to grow.
All of you, except Jim, have brought me trees and plants and flowers. When you found that the seed would not grow, you substituted another seed for the one I gave you. Jim was the only one with the courage and honesty to bring me a pot with my seed in it. Therefore, he is the one who will be the new Chief Executive Officer!"
> If you plant honesty, you will reap trust
> If you plant goodness, you will reap friends
> If you plant humility, you will reap greatness
> If you plant perseverance, you will reap contentment
> If you plant consideration, you will reap perspective
> If you plant hard work, you will reap success
> If you plant forgiveness, you will reap reconciliation
> If you plant faith in God , you will reap a harvest
So, be careful what you plant now, it will determine what you will reap later.
Instead of choosing one of his Directors or his children, he decided to do something different. He called all the young executives in his company together.
He said, "It is time for me to step down and choose the next CEO. I have decided to choose one of you. "The young executives were Shocked, but the boss continued. "I am going to give each one of you a SEED today - one very special SEED. I want you to plant the seed, water it, and come back here one year from today with what you have grown from the seed I have given you. I will then judge the plants that you bring, and the one I choose will be the next CEO."
One man, named Jim, was there that day and he, like the others, received a seed. He went home and excitedly, told his wife the story. She helped him get a pot, soil and compost and he planted the seed. Everyday, he would water it and watch to see if it had grown. After about three weeks, some of the other executives began to talk about their seeds and the plants that were beginning to grow.
Jim kept checking his seed, but nothing ever grew. Three weeks, four weeks, five weeks went by, still nothing. By now, others were talking about their plants, but Jim didn't have a plant and he felt like a failure. Six months went by -- still nothing in Jim's pot. He just knew he had killed his seed. Everyone else had trees and tall plants, but he had nothing. Jim didn't say anything to his colleagues, however... He just kept watering and fertilizing the soil - He so wanted the seed to grow..
A year finally went by and all the young executives of the company brought their plants to the CEO for inspection. Jim told his wife that he wasn't going to take an empty pot. But she asked him to be honest about what happened. Jim felt sick to his stomach, it was going to be the most embarrassing moment of his life, but he knew his wife was right. He took his empty pot to the board room. When Jim arrived, he was amazed at the variety of plants grown by the other executives. They were beautiful -- in all shapes and sizes. Jim put his empty pot on the floor and many of his colleagues laughed, a few felt sorry for him!
When the CEO arrived, he surveyed the room and greeted his young executives.
Jim just tried to hide in the back. "My, what great plants, trees, and flowers you have grown," said the CEO. "Today one of you will be appointed the next CEO!"
All of a sudden, the CEO spotted Jim at the back of the room with his empty pot. He ordered the Financial Director to bring him to the front. Jim was terrified. He thought, "The CEO knows I'm a failure! Maybe he will have me fired!"
When Jim got to the front, the CEO asked him what had happened to his seed - Jim told him the story.
The CEO asked everyone to sit down except Jim. He looked at Jim, and then announced to the young executives, "Behold your next Chief Executive Officer! His name is Jim!" Jim couldn't believe it. Jim couldn't even grow his seed.
"How could he be the new CEO?" the others said.
Then the CEO said, "One year ago today, I gave everyone in this room a seed.. I told you to take the seed, plant it, water it, and bring it back to me today. But I gave you all boiled seeds; they were dead - it was not possible for them to grow.
All of you, except Jim, have brought me trees and plants and flowers. When you found that the seed would not grow, you substituted another seed for the one I gave you. Jim was the only one with the courage and honesty to bring me a pot with my seed in it. Therefore, he is the one who will be the new Chief Executive Officer!"
> If you plant honesty, you will reap trust
> If you plant goodness, you will reap friends
> If you plant humility, you will reap greatness
> If you plant perseverance, you will reap contentment
> If you plant consideration, you will reap perspective
> If you plant hard work, you will reap success
> If you plant forgiveness, you will reap reconciliation
> If you plant faith in God , you will reap a harvest
So, be careful what you plant now, it will determine what you will reap later.
Monday, February 1, 2010
Echo of Life
A man and his son were walking in the forest. Suddenly the boy trips and feeling a sharp pain he screams, “Ahhhhh.”
Surprised, he hears a voice coming from the mountain, “Ahhhhh.”
Filled with curiosity, he screams, “Who are you?” but the only answer he receives is: “Who are you?”
This makes him angry, so he screams, “You are a coward!” and the voice answers, “You are a coward!”
He looks at his father asking, “Dad, what is going on?”
“Son,” he replies, “pay attention!” Then he screams, “I admire you!”
The voice answers, “I admire you!”
The father shouts, “You are wonderful!” and the voice answers, “You are wonderful!”
The boy is surprised, but still can’t understand what is going on.
Then the father explains, “People call this ‘ECHO’ but truly it is ‘LIFE!’ Life always gives you back what you give out! Life is a mirror of your actions. If you want more love, give more love!
If you want more kindness, give more kindness! If you want understanding and respect, give understanding and respect. If you want people to be patient and respectful to you, give patience and respect! This rule of nature applies to every aspect of our lives.”
Life always gives you back what you give out. Your life is not a coincidence, but a mirror of your own doings.
Surprised, he hears a voice coming from the mountain, “Ahhhhh.”
Filled with curiosity, he screams, “Who are you?” but the only answer he receives is: “Who are you?”
This makes him angry, so he screams, “You are a coward!” and the voice answers, “You are a coward!”
He looks at his father asking, “Dad, what is going on?”
“Son,” he replies, “pay attention!” Then he screams, “I admire you!”
The voice answers, “I admire you!”
The father shouts, “You are wonderful!” and the voice answers, “You are wonderful!”
The boy is surprised, but still can’t understand what is going on.
Then the father explains, “People call this ‘ECHO’ but truly it is ‘LIFE!’ Life always gives you back what you give out! Life is a mirror of your actions. If you want more love, give more love!
If you want more kindness, give more kindness! If you want understanding and respect, give understanding and respect. If you want people to be patient and respectful to you, give patience and respect! This rule of nature applies to every aspect of our lives.”
Life always gives you back what you give out. Your life is not a coincidence, but a mirror of your own doings.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)