Stories to help students.
Does anyone know how to train elephants?
For those who do not know how to train elephants let me explain. When a baby elephant is born, trainers will tie a short rope around the baby elephant’s leg staked to the ground. The baby quickly will learn they can only go so far in life and not any further. When the elephant grows up the rope that was holding the baby elephant could be torn away from the stake; however, the elephant has already believed they can only go this far in life. Reality is that the adult elephant can break away and do anything.
I do not know if it was a teacher, a parent, family, or whoever, but many students have a metaphoric rope tied around their leg. Many have been told education is not for them. They can’t learn. It is not for them. The truth is they can do anything they would like, they are not baby elephants anymore!
The mystery of mastery is repetition. Dr. Adrian De Grot
McDonald workers struggle at first, six weeks later they are board because the job is so easy. Everyone can learn!
Neuroplasticity of the brain happens at any age.
To thy own self be true. William Shakespeare
If it takes 7 times 70, do that.
Of course students get the Paul Harvey version, “The rest of the story.â€
Please share your motivational story!
Jeffrey,
Thank you for these great comments. They are so relevant to what we are trying to do with our career college students. If we can ever get them to see that it is up to them to decide what their potential is then success will follow. The easiest thing to do is fail because then you don't have to make any decisions and can blame your failure on everyone else. Success dictates that you make decisions because you are in charge of your future. If we can help our students see that being in charge of your future is a whole lot more fun then we will have done our job.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
