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Show HUMAN RELATIONSHIPS At school time By Erma Jean Lee "Ignorance (and Ignore-ance) is the primary source of all misery and vice." Victor Cousin. "The secret of education is respecting respec-ting the pupil." Ralph W. Emerson. (How about respecting the teacher?) "Criticism comes easier than draftsmanship." draft-smanship." Zeuxis, Peter's Quotations. Quota-tions. Hello, dear students! Did you enjoy the long, lazy, busy, short summer? Are you ready to get up with the chickens, dress in your school clothes, hop the bus, ride your bike, or get on your feet, and go slowly or quickly to school? Are you anxious to see old friends? young friends? Yes.. No.. Ah, it's true that school can be stuffy and boring, but imagine what it would be like if you had to work all year long? or stay home all the time? Right! We can learn everywhere: at home, on the streets, on the playground or "let's pretend," at church, and in leisure or cultural places such as concerts, con-certs, clubs, movies, theatre, or artistic events. But, these are more spectator or pretend experiences. School isn't. In school, you are the actor! You are the adventurer learning in the realm of the unknown the 'Startrek' of child life. You are the laborer, the slave at the books, the missionary befriending a fellow student who is unhappy or hurt. You are the 'teacher' helping a friend with a difficult subject. You are a diplomat, mediating between 'leaders' of the grade and the 'followers' feeling impatient or misguided. You are the sensitive listener calming an angry teacher who feels for a moment unequal une-qual to hisher task. You see, whatever in life is your desire, you can begin a lesser way in school now. Your wrapping your skin isn't your gift. It's what's inside that counts. The school system is the wrapping, and it isn't perfect. The teachers aren't perfect. The students aren't perfect, and you aren't perfect either, but then who is? Your one great challenge in life is to learn how to cuhtivate and teach yourself and how to encourage and bring br-ing out the best in others around you. Grades aren't everything. If cheating is necessary for you, then you want the materialistic 'diamond,' not the true essence of education or knowledge. Many geniuses were slow students, and some failed in many subjects unrelated to their genius. Einstein was called un sociable and mentally slow. Dear students, people are like flowers which bloom at different times and are different dif-ferent colors. Some bloom and bear fruit in season and others never fulfill the quality of their seed. Learning how-to-learn can be a lifetime experienceand ex-perienceand even then, you may feel you've failed destiny, but don't give up. To give up is to die. School is a place where, when you are too young for much else, you are old enough to learn basic facts and subject matter, to discover new ideas, dream new dreams, read fascinating stories and learn how to teach yourself in the education of your choice. School is where you rub against others and so define your gifts or assets. Sometimes harshly, you also discover liabilities in your character or learning. You may even feel you don't measure up, but don't fret. Be honest and self-aware of your strengths and weaknesses. Accentuate the best, and try to overcome the worst. Never blame others. Never expect school to do for you what you must do for yourself. School doesn't owe you anything. School is a resource, a garden in which you search yourself-and knowledge-to grow physically, emotionally, emo-tionally, mentally, and in spirit or intui-tionally intui-tionally for lifetime growth. You are not in school to make parents proud, make teachers happy, or please others. You are not your parent. You are not an older brother or sister. You aren't here to fulfill someone's wasted life. You are here to measure up to what you are, to what your gifts inside your skin are. What is behind your smile? the twinkle in your eyes? What lies under your shining hair, or beneath that perfect physique (which will someday grow old and wrinkled)? Understand others. Respect others. Listen to their comments, but you make the decision. Prepare you for what you must become, not for what others think you should become. Who knows you better bet-ter than you? Me? No way ! Not for love or money will I say what you need. I , won't cheat you from self-growth and self -awareness. I've had my chance. Now you must take yours. Think clear-ly. clear-ly. Dear students, make school come alive this year! Bloom! (But don't let anyone plant you. Human beings have feet and legs not roots!) GOOD LUCK, dears! Happy learning.. listening. listen-ing. .being... |