Lost Potential


As an educator, I have dealt with sad moments in my career, with the death of students with whom I spent time.  As Cicero said, "Nosce te ipsum," and boy, do I know myself: the death of a child is likely the saddest thing that I've ever had to experience, and hope to never again.  What truly gets me: the loss of potential of a child.

I needed to put my current blog post on hold, to stop and think about the loss of Christina Taylor Greene.  I never knew this nine year old, but her death has hit me like a ton of bricks.  This young lady was a victim of the Tucson, Arizona shooting at Representative Gabrielle Giffords's community meeting.  Her potential was simply incredible: the only girl on a baseball team, an aspiring politician, a dancer, a gymnast, a swimmer, a musician, a volunteer.  All of this potential: lost, in a single moment, and it simply devastates me to the core.

No one can reverse the insanity that occurred yesterday in Tucson, AZ.  No one can bring back Christina Taylor Greene.  But, as an educator, I remind myself today, and everyday, to always look for the potential in all my students, and commit to not letting that slip away.  Christina Taylor Greene's potential may have been lost, but I simply will not allow her death to be in vain: the potential of our students is right in front of us, waiting to flourish.  As educators, it is our job to develop it.  Please join me in ensuring that Christina Taylor Greene's memory is used for good, as a reminder every single day about the delicate potential that every student holds - and important job that we educators all hold.  It is our responsibility to ensure that potential blossoms to its fullest extent.

Works Cited:
  •  http://globalgrind.com/channel/news/content/1899875/she-has-a-name-christina-taylor-greene-9-yr-old-killed-in-tucson-massacre-born-on-91101-photos/
  • http://azstarnet.com/news/local/article_28c8e686-1ca6-5b3e-ab85-965bd22c68c0.html

Comments

mssanderson_ITS said…
Well said.
1:06 PM
GLJayhawk said…
Powerful post. Thanks for sharing your thoughts on this sad occurance.
6:17 PM
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