Timing is everything. I (or we) may be ready for something to happen but there is a possibility that someone else who needs to be involved or a situation isn't ready, yet. All the pieces have to come together before it can happen. If I (or we) push too hard because of impatience to have the vine bear its fruit too early the fruit won't be good or at least not of the highest quality.
I must trust that all the pieces are coming together even if everything looks the same on the outside...and has for the past ten years. One day in a split-second or less it can all come together--when the timing is right. Remembering all that has happened and the people I have met since we contemplated starting a dual immersion school about 7-8 years ago testifies to this.
For all that we want to happen with Esperanza requires patience--continually preparing while trusting in the proper timing.
Wednesday, July 6, 2011
Thirst For Knowledge
The desire of knowledge, like the thirst of riches, increases ever with the acquisition of it. -Laurence Sterne, novelist and clergyman (1713-1768)
This is what we want to instill in our Esperanza scholars--a thirst for knowledge. This is what will turn them into lifelong learners. All it takes is one book that catches a child's interest to get him hooked on reading. It only takes one topic to pique a child's interest to cause her to want to continue learning about that topic that leads to wanting to learn about other topics. Therefore, we need to continually expose our Esperanza scholars to all kinds of books and all kinds of learning experiences. We can only do this if we are continually reading and learning ourselves.
Monday, July 4, 2011
Our Esperanza Walls Reflect Our Values
Because today we are celebrating July 4th I am reminded of when we were at the Karl G. Maeser Academy last week for the Charter School Symposium. I was impressed with the beautiful paintings of moments in U.S. History as well as documents like the Declaration of Independence that were on the wall next to the front office. These paintings and documents made a statement about the what the Karl G. Maeser Academy values.
What we choose to put on our walls at Esperanza Elementary will tell all who enter what we value. Therefore, it behooves us to choose carefully what we want to reflect on our walls.
What we choose to put on our walls at Esperanza Elementary will tell all who enter what we value. Therefore, it behooves us to choose carefully what we want to reflect on our walls.
Stepping Out From the Crowd
A THOUGHT FOR TODAY:The world looks with some awe upon a man who appears unconcernedly indifferent to home, money, comfort, rank, or even power and fame. The world feels not without a certain apprehension, that here is someone outside its jurisdiction; someone before whom its allurements may be spread in vain; someone strangely enfranchised, untamed, untrammelled by convention, moving independent of the ordinary currents of human action. -Winston Churchill, politician and statesman (1874-1965)
I love this quote. If we are to truly make Esperanza all it can be it will be important to follow this wise counsel and advice from Winston Churchill and step out from the crowd.
I love this quote. If we are to truly make Esperanza all it can be it will be important to follow this wise counsel and advice from Winston Churchill and step out from the crowd.
Sunday, July 3, 2011
"Into the Burn" Counsel
I listened this morning to the rebroadcast of the BYU Devotional speech given last Tuesday by
Val Jo Anderson, department chair for Plant and Wildlife Sciences, titled “Into the Burn.”
The title of his devotional came from a command he was given by his crew boss when he was working on a fire crew. While fighting a wildfire, his crew boss saw that the wind was blowing the fire directly toward Anderson and the other members of his crew. “Into the burn,” he yelled at them, directing them to go into the fire to the other side where the fire could not return. By following this counsel, though counterintuitive, Anderson and the other men were saved.
“This was an intense lesson,” Anderson said, “that helped me understand the importance of knowing in advance who you should trust and follow without hesitation, especially when the correct choice may be obscured by our own limited experience or instinctive bias.”
I thought while listening to this speech that there will be numerous times when we as Esperanza stakeholders will have impressions that seem counterintuitive. In other words, reason will tell us that one path seems the most logical while quiet whisperings to our hearts and minds tell us that we should take a different path and go "into the burn." It is critical at these times that we follow the quiet whisperings and not rely on our limited experience or instinctive bias. It can make all the difference.
Val Jo Anderson, department chair for Plant and Wildlife Sciences, titled “Into the Burn.”
The title of his devotional came from a command he was given by his crew boss when he was working on a fire crew. While fighting a wildfire, his crew boss saw that the wind was blowing the fire directly toward Anderson and the other members of his crew. “Into the burn,” he yelled at them, directing them to go into the fire to the other side where the fire could not return. By following this counsel, though counterintuitive, Anderson and the other men were saved.
“This was an intense lesson,” Anderson said, “that helped me understand the importance of knowing in advance who you should trust and follow without hesitation, especially when the correct choice may be obscured by our own limited experience or instinctive bias.”
I thought while listening to this speech that there will be numerous times when we as Esperanza stakeholders will have impressions that seem counterintuitive. In other words, reason will tell us that one path seems the most logical while quiet whisperings to our hearts and minds tell us that we should take a different path and go "into the burn." It is critical at these times that we follow the quiet whisperings and not rely on our limited experience or instinctive bias. It can make all the difference.
Saturday, July 2, 2011
Be Committed
Yesterday I read an article by President Dieter F. Uchtdorf--Brother, I'm Committed-- in the July 2011 Liahona magazine. Even though he was speaking to an LDS audience I feel that the message can also apply to Esperanza stakeholders. He started the article by sharing the following story:
Two young brothers stood atop a small cliff that overlooked the pristine waters of a blue lake. This was a popular diving spot, and the brothers had often talked about making the jump—something they had seen others do.
Although they both wanted to make the jump, neither one wanted to be first. The height of the cliff wasn’t that great, but to the two young boys, it seemed the distance increased whenever they started to lean forward—and their courage was fading fast.
Finally, one brother put one foot at the edge of the cliff and moved decisively forward. At that moment his brother whispered, “Maybe we should wait until next summer.”
The first brother’s momentum, however, was already pulling him forward. “Brother,” he responded, “I’m committed!”
He splashed into the water and surfaced quickly with a victorious shout. The second brother followed instantly. Afterward, they both laughed about the first boy’s final words before plunging into the water: “Brother, I’m committed.”
Pres. Uchtdorf went on to say, "Commitment is a little like diving into the water. Either you are committed or you are not. Either you are moving forward or you are standing still. There’s no halfway...we must ask ourselves, 'Will I dive in or just stand at the edge? Will I step forward or merely test the temperature of the water with my toes?'... Those who only intend to commit may find excuses at every turn. "Pres. Uchtdorf ended the article with a German proverb to emphasize his message: “Promises are like the full moon. If they are not kept at once, they diminish day by day.”
If Esperanza is going to be all that it can be AND needs to be, we need people who dive in and are committed.
Two young brothers stood atop a small cliff that overlooked the pristine waters of a blue lake. This was a popular diving spot, and the brothers had often talked about making the jump—something they had seen others do.
Although they both wanted to make the jump, neither one wanted to be first. The height of the cliff wasn’t that great, but to the two young boys, it seemed the distance increased whenever they started to lean forward—and their courage was fading fast.
Finally, one brother put one foot at the edge of the cliff and moved decisively forward. At that moment his brother whispered, “Maybe we should wait until next summer.”
The first brother’s momentum, however, was already pulling him forward. “Brother,” he responded, “I’m committed!”
He splashed into the water and surfaced quickly with a victorious shout. The second brother followed instantly. Afterward, they both laughed about the first boy’s final words before plunging into the water: “Brother, I’m committed.”
Pres. Uchtdorf went on to say, "Commitment is a little like diving into the water. Either you are committed or you are not. Either you are moving forward or you are standing still. There’s no halfway...we must ask ourselves, 'Will I dive in or just stand at the edge? Will I step forward or merely test the temperature of the water with my toes?'... Those who only intend to commit may find excuses at every turn. "Pres. Uchtdorf ended the article with a German proverb to emphasize his message: “Promises are like the full moon. If they are not kept at once, they diminish day by day.”
If Esperanza is going to be all that it can be AND needs to be, we need people who dive in and are committed.
Friday, July 1, 2011
Our Esperanza Scholars Are More Than Recipients of Knowledge
This morning I watched a segment on C-Span with a gal from the Governing Board of the Nation's Report Card. She was discussing the results of the history segment of the testing. It was a reminder how important it is to teach history, but I was also reminded that expecting English Language Learners to do well on a test such as this after only being in the U.S. only one year is unreasonable. Not only will the majority of them not have the necessary academic vocabulary to do well but they won't have the advantage of all the years of U.S. background knowledge.
I finished reading a book--Mockingbird-- this morning by Kathryn Erskine that fits with this topic. Although the young girl in the book is a native English speaker she has Asperger's syndrome. Also, her mother died a couple of years ago from cancer and her older brother who she adored was recently shot and killed at a shooting at his middle school. In other words, she was dealing with a number of issues. I was enthralled with the message I was getting from the book.
Both of these experiences--the woman on C-Span and Caitlin in the book--are reminders that we can't just look at our Esperanza scholars as recipients of knowledge who are expected to regurgitate it. They are also young people coming to us with many issues that can have an impact on their learning.
I finished reading a book--Mockingbird-- this morning by Kathryn Erskine that fits with this topic. Although the young girl in the book is a native English speaker she has Asperger's syndrome. Also, her mother died a couple of years ago from cancer and her older brother who she adored was recently shot and killed at a shooting at his middle school. In other words, she was dealing with a number of issues. I was enthralled with the message I was getting from the book.
Both of these experiences--the woman on C-Span and Caitlin in the book--are reminders that we can't just look at our Esperanza scholars as recipients of knowledge who are expected to regurgitate it. They are also young people coming to us with many issues that can have an impact on their learning.
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