Today I was remembering back to my 11th grade year of high school when I placed an ultimatum on my guidance counselor to help me graduate early or I would drop out. How smug I must have sounded! I don’t recall her name or face, probably because I stopped looking at her when she started explaining that leaving high school early would set my life on a “downward trajectory”. Against her guidance, we worked out a plan for me to graduate that summer with the final credits I needed. That first graduation of my memory had five students in the ceremony…four of whom were correcting their senior-year mistakes…and me trying to avoid a senior year altogether.
Today I was remembering back to that 11th grade guidance counselor’s words as I sat in the graduation ceremony for my second college degree. I remember the joy of my paramedic training when life was young and exciting, the challenge of my undergraduate work as I started a family, and I am probably temporarily scarred by the intense work I’ve just completed while trying to be a decent husband, father, and teacher, but in no way has my trajectory dropped. I knew something of myself that day that she didn’t and I hope I allow myself to see how well each of my students know themselves.
Life and learning are about setting goals and doing whatever it takes to achieve them. I didn’t know I would end up here, but I sure knew my trajectory would not be downward. I hope not to profess doom upon anyone in my care who feels they need to follow a different road. I went where there was no road and I feel it has only pointed me upward.
Good for you, Walt. And congratulations! Never let anyone beat you down!
Thanks Colleen!
Recently, a friend told me about their second grade teacher saying to them “you’ll never amount to anything!”, while disciplining them for some classroom misbehavior. Thankfully, it did not ruin my friend, but scarred so much that they still remember the exact words at 40!!!
“I hope not to profess doom upon anyone in my care” is a cornerstone of ANY education, formal or not!
If you think about how we want to treat those around us, such a mantra is not just for learning and education, but for families, parenting, workplaces, or anywhere in our society where we’re tempted to judge or forecast someone’s capacity.
Yeah! and congratulations!
Thanks Dottie!
How well I remember that graduation! Mom was out of town and I got to represent the rest of the family. And I remember the fiber optic cable laying and the church family life center management and the EMT and Paramedic jobs. And then Oakland and the highest graduation marks of anyone in two generations of our family. And now a Masters ! (You can stop there, ’cause none of the rest of us is going for a doctorate and we don’t want to feel “out of step”! ) But we won’t be surprised at any future degrees and job improvements (though teaching as creatively and person-oriented as you do is as great an accomplishment as anything anyone else in the world does ! ) that you accomplish. Downward Trajectory ? She wasn’t nearly as perceptive as she thought she was.