Teaching Tip #140

Teacherscribe’s Teaching Tip #140

Inspiration (Part 1)

     "Where do you see yourself in ten years?"  This is a writing prompt I annually give my tenth grade English students.  Of course, there answers vary considerably.  Some will be famous singers, actresses and actors, athletes, and politicians.  Or so they desire.  Others will be married, running businesses, traveling the world, and living out their dreams.  Or so they hope.   We never talk about those who will be divorced, incarcerated, working dead end factory jobs, raising four kids by the age of 22, and working for cash to get out of paying child support.  Or so they think "that will never happen to me”.

     But my students responses to "Where do you see yourself in ten years?" caused me to reflect and see just how close I came to falling into the category of "that will never happen to me."  It caused me to pinpoint the pivotal moment in my live.

        Beginning high school, I two had gigantic dreams.  If I couldn't be a rock star, I wanted to be a NFL linebacker.  Unfortunately, I could neither sing nor play an instrument.  As for being a football star, a 5'10'' 180 pound frame squashed my hopes.  I would probably drive truck and farm like my father or work at the beet plant like my brother.  But then something happened.