This morning on NPR,former Sports Illustrated collumnist, Frank Deford shared an essay titled, "Looking For Lin In All The Wrong Places." As I was listening to Deford, the last paragraph struck me:
This got me to thinking about our classrooms. How many "Jeremy Lin's" are sitting in our classrooms each day, unable to stand out because we are always looking in the same places when we assess their abilities? Is it because we don't connect with their passions? Is it because our methods of assessment are flawed? Do we fall into the same traps of doing things the same way?
But, in counterpoint, what is so dispiriting is to contemplate not only how many basketball players, but how many other athletes, how many artists and actors and musicians and writers, how many special creative talents never get fulfilled because the so-called experts are always looking in the same places.
Jeremy Lin is a success, and hooray for him, but his example tells us that there are, surely, so many more brilliant might-have-beens in our midst who never get a chance.
This got me to thinking about our classrooms. How many "Jeremy Lin's" are sitting in our classrooms each day, unable to stand out because we are always looking in the same places when we assess their abilities? Is it because we don't connect with their passions? Is it because our methods of assessment are flawed? Do we fall into the same traps of doing things the same way?
When I look back on my time in the classroom, I am sure there are many that I missed.
I also know of several classmates, who may have not been at the top of the class, but today sit at the top of their professions!
I also know of several classmates, who may have not been at the top of the class, but today sit at the top of their professions!
As we head in to our classrooms today, let's take a moment to look at the "end of the bench" for the "Jeremy Lin's" and see if we can unlock their potential and see them in a new light!
Image Sources:
Jeremy Lin
Classroom
Image Sources:
Jeremy Lin
Classroom
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