Week 2-The Art of Possibility #1

One day it's sidewalk chalk, but who knows what the future will bring.

A certain part of this weeks reading really stuck with me. I've been preparing my students all week to start research on a peacemaker as part of our service learning project. We started by talking about what research was and all that "fun" stuff. I began modeling the note taking process by using a book about Nelson Mandela. The kids were shocked and appalled that someone was treated as poorly as Mr. Mandela and the rest of the people living in South Africa that were affected by apartheid. They immediately began an earnest discussion about how they could be a more peaceful people. My heart leapt for joy-they were getting the message. One of my students raised her had a said something to the extent of "Wow, I can't believe one person could make such a difference to a whole group of people. Mrs. Shike, he's like that Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. of South Africa!" They began to ask what they could do to help be more peaceful. We started talking about different ideas and the door was opened!

That same night, I was reading The Art of Possibility and came across the story about the starfish. One line resonated with me "Smiling, she bends down and once more tosses a starfish out over the water, saying serenly 'It certainly makes a difference to this one.' "(pg 55). So if I make a difference to one child in my classroom, and our research makes them more peaceful, then I have accomplished my goal. Do I want more of my kids to be peaceful? Of course. Do I hope more than one of them gets the message? Absolutely! But, if during the course of this project, I reach one student and that student reaches someone else, imagine the domino effect that could have.

Zander, R. S. , & Zander, B. (2000). The art of possibility: transforming personal and professional life. Boston, MA: Harvard Business School Press.