This week's reading encompassed a chapter titled Lighting a Spark. Zander explains that during the Middle Ages, people would carry a metal box with a smoldering cinder that they would perpetually feed kindling so that when the time arose, a fire could be build with ease.
This "spark" was then used in the analogy that we can carry the spark and be infectious by allowing those around us to be use this spark to create possibilities.
I have often called my own children pet names such as sparky because they create and bring out possibilities that I just do not see as possible for someone their age. Whether it is my lack of memory for 30 years ago or the fact that today's kids are growing up much faster than we did at that age, I am amazed at the possibilities and accomplishments that they create and perform.
Just this week, my first grade son's math worksheets included multiplication and division. Yes. Division in 1st grade. I did not even know this was possible. I hope he continues to carry that proverbial smoldering cinder and continues to create sparks as his educational journey progresses!
Aside from a small stint in the mental health field, I have spent most of my entire life in education. This blog is going to portray some of my experiences throughout this journey and hopefully give you entertainment as well as education as to some of the things I have experienced.
@Dennis
ReplyDeleteIt is a great analogy of lighting a spark, as educators we set the spark ablaze and soon set off a classroom forest fire. There are educational moments in every moment of every day and we educators try to capture as many as we can. Students of today have a great deal of information presented to them or they search out on a daily basis. This has caused researchers to delve into the capacity of the human mind only to realize we could set off the sparks of a great deal of knowledge at younger age. This is why students are higher order thinking skills at a younger age then we did. It is truly amazing how my parents were not taught Algebra, my older brothers learned it in senior years, I was taught it in tenth grade and my son learned in it sixth grade. Simply amazing.
Great thoughts on an inspiring chapter. It reminds me of a NatGeo episode about India's Cask system. A man and his family live at the bottom of the barrel. Considered dirty they can only do and go to certain places. BUT, this man's family has been keeping an ancient fire burning for centuries. Only this man and his family can perform sacred cremation ceremonies. So while he is shunned by everyone he is also very important to society.
ReplyDeleteThis connects to the reading because many times we discredit others spark because it doesn't line up with ours or simply do not understand it. Keeping an open heart allows us to keep and open mind and thus perceive the realm of infinite possibility with clear vision.