It was still early. The mist had not yet cleared from the sea.
In the distance, a solitary figure stood throwing objects out over the water. Walking along the debris-strewn beach, I looked at the masses of starfish scattered everywhere. The tide had thrown them in, stranding them on the beach. As the sun rose higher, they would perish.
Approaching the stranger, I could see that it was the starfish he was picking up and returning to the sea.
Our eyes met.
“Do you really think you can help? There are millions of starfish on this beach. You can help so few. Does it really make a difference? Does it matter?”
He reached down and picked up another starfish, looking at it intently.
“Oh yes,” he replied. “It matters to this one!”
Yesterday I got a phone call from a colleague who worked with me for a year when she was a trainee teacher. She wasn’t an ordinary trainee at that time. She used to plan very good activities and the students liked her a lot. After she graduated from university, she started to work at a state school and she’s been teaching there for four years. She said she wanted to meet me because she needed some ideas.
We met this afternoon. She told me about her experiences in her school. In Turkey, the conditions in state schools are usually difficult. Teachers are paid less and the budgets of the schools are very low. However she makes a real difference at the school she works. She even paid for a mobile connect card in order to provide Internet access for her students. Her students are very lucky to have her! You can imagine that most of the teachers in her school cannot understand her passion and dedication and she feels a bit isolated. You should see how enthusiastic she is! I advised her to immediately start sharing her experiences with other people who care and this can only happen by making presentations at conferences and meeting enthusiastic teachers like herself. I also advised her to start keeping a blog. This way she would connect with the other teachers, hopefully inspire some of them with her great ideas and keep her enthusiasm alive. She liked the idea of sharing her ideas and experiences via presentations and blogging. I’m looking forward to seeing her first talk and first blog post. I am more than happy to have convinced her to make more difference by ‘sharing’!
As teachers, we should become aware that we are all gifted with the ability to make a difference. We have the power to shape the future. We must each find our starfish and throw our stars wisely…
I would be grateful if you leave your encouraging comments for her and for other teachers who want to make a difference…
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Hello
My name is Brian Asselin, I am a musician and recent graduate from the education program at the University of Ottawa. When I think about my education growing up, I am reminded how fortunate I was to have teachers that continually inspired me to be anything I desired. Teachers have such am profound impact on not only a child’s learning but their development as an individual. During my studies I was so inspired by my teachers I co-wrote a song entitled “You Have Made A Difference”. Here is the link if you are interested.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vwsKWiXlA78
Thank you for reading
Brian Asselin
[Reply]
Firstly,I want to thank you for the nice things that you wrote about me in your post. After I read the great story and the post, I felt much more enthusiastic. It was just a small chat that we had yesterday but it made a great difference on me. You really made me realise that I have the power in me to do more than I thought was possible. You were my guide when I was a trainee teacher, you are my guide now and I am sure you will be my guide forever.
Thank you very much. I am so lucky to have you as a great teacher.
[Reply]
Thank you for sharing this story about your colleague. Her dedication humbles me.
I have a couple of my own favorite quotes her story reminded me of:
“Teachers teach more by what they are than by what they say.” (wish I knew who to credit for this one)
“The mediocre teacher tells. The good teacher shows. The superior teacher demonstrates. The great teacher inspires.” (William Arthur Ward)
Of course, I think both you and your colleague fall into the “great teacher” category
[Reply]
burcuakyol Reply:
June 11th, 2009 at 7:40 pm
Burcu,
I had a great time yesterday! I’m afraid I talked too much and probably at the moment you don’t know where to start:-) Anyway, organize your thoughts and write down where you want to see yourself in a year, three years and five years – career wise and academic wise. Then do what you need to do! I would be more than happy to give you ideas during your development journey. I am sure that I will be learning a lot from your experiences too!
“At school, new ideas are thrust at you every day. Out in the world, you’ll have to find the inner motivation to search for new ideas on your own.” Bill Watterson
Hope to see you soon.
Burcu
[Reply]
Dear Burcu,
Sharing experiences with colleagues and showing them that they are not alone with the problems is great.
Thanks,
Ozlem Çimen
[Reply]
Thanks for the story, and all the best to your colleague. There are three quotes I can think of that I really like about teaching and that are apt for your colleague:
1) If a doctor, lawyer, or dentist had 40 people in his office at one time, all of whom had different needs, and some of whom didn’t want to be there and were causing trouble, and the doctor, lawyer, or dentist, without assistance, had to treat them all with professional excellence for nine months, then he might have some conception of the classroom teacher’s job. ~Donald D. Quinn
2) In teaching you cannot see the fruit of a day’s work. It is invisible and remains so, maybe for twenty years. ~Jacques Barzun
3) I am indebted to my father for living, but to my teacher for living well. ~Alexander the Great
[Reply]
Sorry Burcu – for the typo of your name in the previous comment and the emoticon I tried to put on, but it didn’t work – please feel free to remove and edit!
Thanks again for another wonderful post
Shonah
[Reply]
Courage can’t see around corners, but goes around them anyway.
~Mignon McLaughlin, The Neurotic’s Notebook, 1960
Keep walking around the corners-it is a great world out there and you already have the spark of enthusiasm – why not make it a fire?!
Also, how very fortunate to have Burcu as a mentor/guide/friend-you will never be lost!
Can’t wait to read your blog!
Shonah
[Reply]
This is a great post, Burcu. I love hearing about instances where people realise that they can do more than they thought was possible.
It’s one of the highlights of teaching to be able see people come to see themselves as being capable of more. Teachers can make a difference. I believe that comments from a French teacher when I was in secondary school sent my life in a particular direction.
It does indeed sound like you have made a difference for your friend and I’ll look forward to her posts.
[Reply]