12 Comments
User's avatar
Ruth Poulsen's avatar

Great analogy. Helps keep it all in perspective!

Jeff Smith's avatar

Thanks. I think admin feels this way too, no?

Scott Perry's avatar

Brilliant. Our circumstances are often mostly or entirely beyond our control. But how we frame and navigate them is entirely within our control.

Jeff Smith's avatar

Thanks Scott. "Onward" and "what's the next (smallest) step you can take" are 2 Scottisms that I hear in my head daily.

Scott Perry's avatar

Thank you, Jeff. I appreciate you sharing this!

Jeff Smith's avatar

You're welcome Paul. Do you think that about music?

Jeff Smith's avatar

Thanks Jen. You're awful good on analogies yourself, so that's encouraging.

Mentoring with Reese's avatar

This is a great picture of teaching. We can do everything right and not get the results we want or we do little right and get the results we want. Teachers have to do their part, but students have to show up and grow with us.

Jeff Smith's avatar

It's definitely a two (or more) way street Reese. I agree

Paul McGlinchey's avatar

Education is a garden. Elegantly and powerfully described. Thank you!

Jeff Smith's avatar

Thanks Paul. Do you see music in that same garden-esque way? I'm curious.