Do you See what I See

Ok ok, I know it is a tad early to start with Christmas songs, but it is now November so I feel no shame! This doesn't mean I skipped Thanksgiving, but what you may not know about me is I listen to Christmas music whenever I feel like it (not just in the last two months of the year).

Today was the 27th time I saw my George Mason students-and I still love it everyday! Now that we have went through the orientation phase and the awkward I kind-of-know-you phase, things are great. Some of my students are really growing (while of course others have stopped coming to class except for presentation and test days). For the sake of this post, I wish to focus on the students that I can see growth in.

One of the assignments is entitled "Conflict Essay Reflection" where students must

describe a conflict they were involved in, what type of conflict it was, why it is defined as that type of conflict and what possible solutions could be applied. Some stories are surface level, such as a conflict with a teammate in a sports game. Other conflicts are more personal that involve family matters.

What makes me proud is reading these students' hurts and conflicts and then seeing them dissect how to better themselves with looking at every angle. When they acknowledge these mistakes done to them and realize that they can't jump to conclusions to judge, then is when the growth spurt is evident.

Now most of my students are freshman, so of course they develop a lot. They change a lot, even in the course of just a year. But it is how they change that determines their life. Is the change one of a great unexpectedness? Or is it a disappointing downfall?

You know the individuals that if you look at where they came from-shouldn't be where they are, but something inside them says-I don't want to be like where I came from or what is expected of me. These are the most inspiring students and people who encourage me.