Mary’s
Minute
“I learned that courage was not the
absence of fear, but the triumph over it. The brave man is not he who does not
feel afraid, but he who conquers that fear.”
~ Nelson Mandela
Last night several
Perry Central students triumphed over their fears by getting up on stage to
share their talents. I heard several of
them comment about how nervous they were, but I also could see how empowered
they were after conquering their fear.
When we think about courage and conquering fear we often think of it as
an individual thing, and the burden certainly does fall to the individual, but
as a school community I think it is also important for us to think about how we
encourage students and each other to be courageous. In addition to enjoying the talent shared at “Coffee
and Conversation,” I marveled at the power of creating a safe place for
sharing. The atmosphere created by the
experience thanks to Jennifer Ball, as well as our supportive students, allowed
students to take risks without the worry of being ridiculed. As terrific as the performances were, they
were not perfect. Students made
mistakes, but their peers in the audience encouraged them. I am so impressed by the talent of our
students, by their courage to perform, and most of all, proud of the atmosphere
that allowed them to take risks among supportive peers. Thanks to Mrs. Ball and all who made the
night a celebration of courage and support.
Have a great week!
Mary
No comments:
Post a Comment