"This is an absolutely undemocratic situation you face. You have no rights here. Your only right is to come to class and be wonderful. You can’t protest, you can’t be absent, you can only work…You must give your entire self in an act of faith. If you have any sort of resentment or lack of clarity, you will find heartbreak. But if you manage to live through four years of this demand upon your inner self, your life will be literally changed."
This speech was not given in our school, actually I and my students----two girls----in Theological English class read it from our study material: "Becoming a Woman of Excellence". It was spoken by Lydia Joel, the head of the Performing Arts dance department in New York City in 1982. It was under the topic of Surrender.
I was shocked when I first read this paragraph and almost wished I were one of the students there in that school.
What was that in this speech captured me? I kept thinking. Maybe they were educators' strong self confidence, school's high standard, students facing big challenges and satisfactory reward? Maybe it was just the way Lydia spoke? Maybe just because I always liked high challenges? But anyway, I began to think one question: what is my dream as an educator?
I dream to find truth together with my students. We listen to each other and appreciate contributions each of us makes in our different ways.
I dream to share inner feelings with my students not only the thoughts from our mind. We find comfort, compassion, support and union from the deepest level of our hearts.
I dream to serve people in need together with my students. While our hearts are warmed up in class, our hands can convey the temperature expressing the care of our inner sensitive beings to this world.
I dream the time stayed together with my students will be like pure gold, its color does not fade away as time goes by.
I dream my students full of patience to their children and they take time to play with them, knowing being together means everything for children.
I dream my students' faces shine upon my way as I am searching to serve them better, and their faces can still greatly move me as one day I am old, so old that I am on the wheelchair.
I dream I had a film which has taken all the interesting and meaningful moments of I and my students. So that after I go to heaven I could take my time and enjoy this film with my Lord.
I dream by the end of the film, there is a big picture: the image of the first born Son, Jesus Christ.
This speech was not given in our school, actually I and my students----two girls----in Theological English class read it from our study material: "Becoming a Woman of Excellence". It was spoken by Lydia Joel, the head of the Performing Arts dance department in New York City in 1982. It was under the topic of Surrender.
I was shocked when I first read this paragraph and almost wished I were one of the students there in that school.
What was that in this speech captured me? I kept thinking. Maybe they were educators' strong self confidence, school's high standard, students facing big challenges and satisfactory reward? Maybe it was just the way Lydia spoke? Maybe just because I always liked high challenges? But anyway, I began to think one question: what is my dream as an educator?
I dream to find truth together with my students. We listen to each other and appreciate contributions each of us makes in our different ways.
I dream to share inner feelings with my students not only the thoughts from our mind. We find comfort, compassion, support and union from the deepest level of our hearts.
I dream to serve people in need together with my students. While our hearts are warmed up in class, our hands can convey the temperature expressing the care of our inner sensitive beings to this world.
I dream the time stayed together with my students will be like pure gold, its color does not fade away as time goes by.
I dream my students full of patience to their children and they take time to play with them, knowing being together means everything for children.
I dream my students' faces shine upon my way as I am searching to serve them better, and their faces can still greatly move me as one day I am old, so old that I am on the wheelchair.
I dream I had a film which has taken all the interesting and meaningful moments of I and my students. So that after I go to heaven I could take my time and enjoy this film with my Lord.
I dream by the end of the film, there is a big picture: the image of the first born Son, Jesus Christ.
