Have been reading about 150 daily student journal entries for the past
two months,
through the anxiety, fatigue, elation, distraction, forgetfulness, fear,
sadness,
anticipation, sickness, and a host of other expressed up and down issues, one
thing struck
hard. It wasn't a new revelation, but it really hit home. Maybe it was more
graphic this
semester because of a semester off from reading during my medical leave.
Do you know what is fundamentally holding back most students? Lack of
study
skills? No. Lack of critical thinking skills? No. Lack of self-discipline?
No. Lack
of dedication? No. Lack of time management? No. No, though so many students
display
these deficiencies, they are symptomatic of a much deeper and inner lack. The
one thing
that most of them lack and is their greatest need is: self-confidence. They
need it in
their personal lives, in their academic lives, in their social lives, in their
jobs.
They need the belief in their power to deal with and overcome circumstances;
they need it
for a freedom from uncertainty; they need it to lift the burdens; they need it
to deal
with personal and academic crises; they need it to come out from the corner and
the
shadows; they need it to be authentic and honest; they need it to vanquish
debilitating
fear; they need it to overcome adversity; they need it to become their own
person. They
need it to convert challenges from barriers into opportunities. They need it
to keep them
from shriveling and sniveling deeper into the corner and into darker shadows.
They need
it to assume responsibility rather than hurling blame. They need it to
imagine, create,
innovate, and achieve. They need it to perceive problems, tackle problems,
wrestle with
problems, and solve them. They need it to believe in themselves, have faith in
themselves, have hope for themselves, and love themselves.
Without confidence, they are stoppable. Without confidence, they give
control
over themselves to others. Without confidence, there's no hunger to explore,
thirst for
adventure, boldness to seize the moment, courage to make a mistake, daring to
take risks,
and reaching for the proverbial stars. Without confidence, they don't aspire
and
perspire. Without confidence, discouragement and fear and ugliness rule the
day. Without
confidence, it's easier to take the easy road than the right one. Without
confidence,
there's no focus, no endurance, and no perseverance. Without confidence, a
student cannot
climb, build, dance, or sing.
The essence of teaching, then, is to help students acquire an "I'm
better than
that" attitude that can convert "I am not" into "I am," "I cant" into "I can,"
"I don't"
into "I do," "don't want to" into "I want to," "I won't" into "I will," "it's
impossible"
into "it's possible," "I hate" into "I love," and "I don't believe" into "I
believe." It
is our mission to help them tap their inner power to look at themselves and
things around
them differently, to be whatever they want to be, and to become the persons
they are
capable of becoming.
But, and it is a huge but, before we can offer such support,
inspiration,
aspiration, and encouragement to be big souled and big hearted, we have to do
all that to
and for ourselves.
Make it a good day.
--Louis--
Louis Schmier
Department of History http://therandomthoughts.edublogs.org/
Valdosta State University www. therandomthoughts.com
Valdosta, Georgia 31698 /\ /\ /\ /\
(229-333-5947) /^\\/ \/ \ /\/\__/\ \/\
/ \/ \_ \/ / \/
/\/
\ /\
//\/\/ /\
\__/__/_/\_\ \_/__\
/\"If you want to climb
mountains,\ /\
_ / \ don't practice on mole
hills" -
---
To make changes to your subscription contact:
Bill Southerly ([EMAIL PROTECTED])
