My husband @jeffsandvold shared this story with me this week. Jeff works for a company called DISTek Integration Systems and is in charge of recruitment of new hires and other things.
The stuff their engineers accomplish is so beyond my intellect, I can't even explain it, so click on the company logo and you can see all the cool things their engineers do every day.
So, he is very interested in stories like the following, and he knew this one would get me all worked up about pursuing our passions. It's a story about successful senior electrical engineering student, Ashley Ksioszk, who is pursuing her passion even when someone told her "You Can't."
http://theodysseyonline.com/msoe/high-school-guidance-councilor-didnt-believe/368618
Why do we still hear stories from our friends and even our family members about teachers and other educators telling kids "You Can't..." Can't should be a four-letter word banned from every individual that works with students (unless, of course, it puts a child in danger ...ha ha, like flinging scissors around on your thumb, for example).
When we sign up for this job to educate students, we are also signing on to be with human beings eight hours a day that have special talents, specific motivations, and dreams. Let's say the guidance counselor in this story was well-meaning. Perhaps the counselor was trying to match students with perceived and demonstrated strengths based on school performance. Counselors and teachers want to set up children for success, right?
Success has become equated with "what may come easy" and point systems. What about passion systems? Passion trumps points every time. Think of a time when you were so into something, you were obsessed by it. You kept at it no matter how painful, difficult, or challenging...and then when you persevered and accomplished it, you were hooked. Please share this great example of a student that kept working at it when they were told "You can't."
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