5th graders get upset over seemingly trivial things.
"I wanted to get an A in spelling but every week she gets an A without even trying."
"It's not fair. He can do math in his head so he gets done faster."
"Why does her painting look like a horse but mine just looks like a blob?"
So we have the conversation about talents, and how each of them are good at something different and how boring the world would be if we were all alike---you know the drill.
I'd like to take this opportunity to introduce you to a true talent, to someone I appreciate because he has a gift that I do not have. His name is Robert Brault.
A few days ago I wrote a post on shyness. Robert took that post and condensed it into 5 concise sentences, each sentence profound in its own right, each sentence capturing the essence of what I was trying to say. Like I said in my "Meme" post, he is a modern-day Confucius. Check out his site and see what an amazing job he did. It's a quote-lover's haven.
re you sure those are 5th graders? They sound an awful lot like adult office conversations to me ;)
ReplyDeleteMarc: That DOES sound like many an office I've worked in! I'm training them well, huh? P.S. Why are you up so late? Isn't it like 4:00 a.m. in Wales-ville?
ReplyDeleteWow, Randi, I'm all goosebumps waiting to meet me. But thanks for the kind words. You are more than generous letting me steal thoughts from you. As a reward, I will keep doing it.
ReplyDeleteSmiles,
RB
Hi there,
ReplyDeleteI've just managed to lose two long comments and have realised I can't be trusted around any comments facility with a preview! That's how I managed to mess up, both times.
So, a summary (sorry, I have to rush now...)
First, you're a great person for any blogger to have in 'the boxes below'.
Second, thanks for your generous links sharing. I went to the link you gave us and my favourite quote of Robert's was this:
"Lend, by your imperfections, self-esteem to others, and you will be invited everywhere."
I'm a Virgo; we're cruelly self critical, but we're also very analytical and comfy supporting folk. many Virgos I know are pigeonholed as shy. Since I started coaching, myself as well as others, I find it easy to harness those skills by always trying to look at the strength that balances every challenge or weakness. Those same analytical skills, for example, helped me in my work as an examiner; because I understood how harsh I was with myself, I made an immense effort to put others at their ease in exams because I know how tortured people can get when they have performance anxiety and feel they're going to be judged or criticised.
Sorry I messed up the first two - they were probably less rambly!
I read your's and Robert's shyness posts. They were both very good.
ReplyDeleteKids are so much smarter now than when I was a kid. Funnier too.
Robert: You can steal from me as long as you like! (OK, well not verbatim.) When you think about it, that's what people who love to write DO. We take a conversation we overheard, or a phrase spoken in a new way, or a true-life event and voila! It becomes a poem,a quote,a blog post, or a book.
ReplyDeleteMy hubby even said last night how much he loves your site!
Janice: I'm so glad you went to Robert's site. There are a lot of good gems there.I liked what you said about being more compassionate to people when they have to take exams, because you know what it's like. That's exactly how I try to explain pain to my son. When he gets upset, for example, because someone ridiculed him, I ask him, "Now will you ever ridicule someone?" His answer is usually no, because he says he doesn't want someone else to feel the way he felt. Such good thoughts, Janice! (As always! Whenever I see your comments somewhere I usually can just say "Yeah, what Janice said!") By the way, 2/3 of my children are Virgos, along with one very special aunt.
Kim:Thanks for the kind words! I agree about kids being smarter and funnier! I teach 5th grade and I don't remember asking the kinds of questions these kids do. Also their collective sense of humor keeps me laughing most of the day--but then I am easily amused. :)