Dream Big- Maserati GrandCabrio?

Recently, I've asked my students to write a short essay on “the advantages and disadvantages of going to school”. I mean after all, as a parent I know exactly why I send my kids to school: as soon as the kid leaves the house for school I ditch the business suits for a bathing suit and head for the water park, to return home in time to change clothes before the kids return. I need my free time, right?

Well… maybe there is more to it. After all (let’s exaggerate a bit), and imagine a well-meaning teacher complete with elbow-patched jacket who stands in front of the even rows of school chairs and desks… He attempts to be inspirational, encourages the students to dream bigger dreams and reach for the stars.

Dutifully, students begin to envision where they want to be. (Truth be told, most students envision when lunch break begin – but let’s still exaggerate.) Mental pictures of vacation homes and fancy cars dance in their minds. They start to believe: if you want big, just dream big.

WRONG

Let’s be honest… our head is positioned above our heart and although one doesn’t work without the other there is a reason why our head stands firmly on our shoulders.  And the student’s dreams and goals are not to be just imaginary visions or day dreams, but rather note-worthy goals set on intelligent collection of facts and knowledge acquired somewhere- life…? Yes, but school is part of life.

The school bell will ring for the final time in every student’s life, and the task of translating education into living will be thrown upon them. Their dreams and goals will be fulfilled not because they one day took few minute of their class time to day-dream about a nice red Maserati  but rather because they learned to communicate, work hard and well…know what they want and how to get it –( ok and maybe how to calculate a good loan for a Maserati GrandCabrio :-) ) .