You are probably wondering why the picture of the seashell. It is a gift to you to help you reflect on another gift you are about to receive - your students. Let's take a few minutes to consider what the shell can tell us about them.
Maybe your shell is fragile, delicate, and easily broken. So are your students. Handle them kindly and with care.
Maybe your shell look beautiful. Each student in your class has a special beauty. Discover it and help others to notice it and appreciate it.
Maybe your shell is hard. Remember that the shell has a cover to protect a sea creature. Sometimes our students build a hard shell to protect themselves from harm. Open the hard out shell to nurture the life within.
Maybe you noticed that your shell has pieces chopped away or broken off. Some students have had difficult experiences that have chipped away their positive self-image and broken their spirit. Help to rebuild their self-image and rekindle their enthusiasm.
Maybe you noticed that the shell was once very tiny and seemed to be built up one layer at a time. Your students are like that. Each one has a small core of knowledge and experience. Some will have many layers built around this core. Others have only a few. Take your students as they are and add carefully to their growth.
Maybe your shell looks plain and rather commonplace. Sometimes you may feel that there is nothing special about a student. Look again. You will see that each student is unique, just as each shell in unique. Help each student to realize his or her importance or worth.
The shell you have in your hand is unique. It was carried to shore by the ocean just for you. What will you do with it now that it is yours? Each student in your class is unique, too. Each one is in your hands now. What will you do with your students now that they are yours?
anonymous
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