Friday Night Lights

Watching "Friday Night Lights" with one of my favorite characters, Coach Eric Taylor. I just opened an email from this guy, Lil Miggs.......It says "HI". That's it. And that's pretty big.

If you've seen the show and how Taylor coaches, then you know how I teach. And nothing comes easy. You have to be willing to fight for it, knowing when to hollar and knowing when to hug. Miggs had given up, so I "cleared" his desk for him so he could concentrate.

I'll tell you what, that kids a fighter. No matter how much I share what's going on in our classroom, it can't tell the whole story. I do my best to show that anyone can get the same results I have been getting for the past seven years, and trying to figure it out myself as I pay attention to what I write.

The same kids that were phenomenal today are going to drive me nuts on Monday. And the ones I butted heads with today are going to bring me close to tears with happiness on Monday. Looking good so far, I got a "HI" already by Friday night, two days before the show begins again.




But I do know it's possible to go from this...




To this.....

Conflict can breed cooperation

Practice Laughter and Love

I came across these pictures while looking for some to include with the "Winners Learn to Like Themselves Through Practice" post I was doing on my students' web page.

All three of these girls are among the best in the nation, and perhaps the world, in at least one area. After seeing the pictures of this "Dream Team", Three Musketeers, Tres Amigos, etc.......three words began to sound off in my head as to how they got this way:

"Practice", "Laughter" and "Love."

While pouring a cup of coffee with this chanting still in my head, I realized this was the reason for their remarkable success. As I drank to this epiphany, the words began changing order. They went from:





PRACTICE











LAUGHTER







LOVE








to






LOVE PRACTICE











PRACTICE LOVE






LOVE LAUGHTER








and when things don't work out






PRACTICE LAUGHTER








LAUGH LOVINGLY








LOVINGLY PRACTICE


*just rinse and repeat as necessary, UNTIL the desired results are reached. This simple formula works whether you're a child or adult, between children and adults, children, and adults.


And most importantly, it works with ourselves. We are humans "being". This takes practice. Nature has evolved through 4.6 billion years of practice. It must have laughed at some of the things it's created. And it certainly must have loved so many of the beautiful things it's loved and laughed into existence through practice.

We, "(wo)man", are universal babies, barely 3.6 million years old. We owe it to ourselves to never give up on who we are, and who we are capable of becoming.

We are all so much more than we give ourselves credit for. What race, sex, religion, nationality we are and income we have has nothing to do with our capabilities. I've personally seen this (or maybe personally seen to it) happen in every type of classroom among every type of student.

We are more than the macroscopic physiology of our looks and the materialistic pursuit of our neighbor's acceptance. We are the spirit that lives inside each and every one of our cells, our atoms, and our nuclei.

So let's practice laughter and love with each other, and most importantly, with ourselves. Our evolution requires it. We don't evolve through hate or victimization. We grow through practice, or struggle. And there's no better way to do this than with the water of laughter and the sunshine of love.

Impossible growth IS possible, miraculous results ARE achievable, and the human species making the world a better place IS attainable.


WE CAN DO IT!


WE ARE DOING IT!

"...You are here....Life exists...Let the powerful play go on that you may contribute a verse. What will your verse be?"
- from Dead Poets Society (you can see Robin Williams' photo in the LAUGHTER and PRACTICE pictures, which he signed, "To Mr. Stuart's class, DREAM BIG!", using a photo from the movie. I'd say he is contributing a GREAT verse to our play. Thank you, Robin!

I Believe In You

I originally wrote this for my students. As I was writing it I felt my own words resonate within me. I realized the message applies to us all. No matter what our age, we all are students learning, growing, evolving. If we're not, we're simply waiting to die.

I for one am not waiting for death to take me. I am living as fully as possible as completely as possible, and a good death will find me having lived while I was alive.

Click on the link to go to their site, Stuart's Spectacular Students, and read any responses from the students we may get. Search other posts there and read some of their comments at the bottom.

Often, our children who haven't forgotten "The Secret" to life, who haven't learned to doubt themselves and be afraid of failure, give us the courage to remember, and to believe in ourselves again after our own failures.

I know that as long as I teach, I will never allow a student to doubt themselves or fear failure. Once we humans do, it becomes a life-and-death struggle to overcome if we want to feel completely alive and fully free again.


104 years ago today the Ford Motor Company was created by Henry Ford and 11 associate investors. Ford cars are everywhere, a reality today that didn't exist just 100 short years ago. You were not a reality just 10-11 short years ago.

Now you are. You are here. There has never been another you. There never will be another you.

You are very special, and very magnificent. I saw this confirmed and learned this past year in your eyes and actions and test results (boy do I miss you guys as I'm remembering seeing this).

What special and magnificent things will you do with your lives? You are capable of incredible things. One way to gain insight and inspiration into how to make this happen is to study those who have already done it. Henry Ford might be one of these people for you.

Henry Ford.
Ford Motor Company

born July 30, 1863, Wayne county, Mich., U.S.
died April 7, 1947, Dearborn, Mich.

(I included the state where he was born mainly for Malcolm and Dallas, as much as it hurt me to do this :-)

He was an American industrialist who revolutionized factory production with his assembly-line methods.

Ford spent most of his life making headlines, good, bad, but never indifferent. Celebrated as both a technological genius and a folk hero, Ford was the creative force behind an industry of unprecedented size and wealth.

Remember, find those who have what you want, do what they did, and you'll get what they got.

I miss and love you all, not just for who you already are, but for who you are in the process of becoming. Never give up on yourself. Never shrink from a challenge to become more.

Never, never, become less.

You are a special gift to this world. Develop your highest self and give the gift of yourself, your unique talents and genius to the world, and make it an even better place than it already is!

When do you do it? Today. You do it every today by believing you can.

I believe in you, today, and every today.

Mr. Stuart

Your teacher whenever you still need me.

Fly High in Your Skies

The time has come,
to say goodbye.

Some faces happy,
some faces cry.


All faces showing,
how high they can fly.

Fly my young friends,
fly high in your skies.


Copyright © 2007 by Adam Stuart

I think it's a shame that children are so much more malleable than adults. When someone really believes in them, they believe it too. As their beliefs change, so do they.

When adults are given the chance to adopt new, empowering beliefs, we try it for awhile, but give up too quickly when we don't get results fast enough.

This only keeps us imprisoned on the ground, caught between the failures of the past and the worries of the future.

Break free today. Break free and fly worry free. Live in the present. The NOW is the only place that holds any freeing power.

What if You Could?

What if you could,
love a child enough?

To see the greatness inside him,
to see all he could become?


What if you loved him,
everyday that you had?

Pouring out your heart,
and covering him in love?


Do you think that he would feel it,
in his heart and in his head?

Do you think he would feel it,
when the year has reached its end?


Copyright © 2007 by Adam Stuart

This is the last picture of Kenny and me. It was also the last picture taken with one of my students; today, the last day of school. I love you, Kenny. My life has become fuller by having you in it.

I posted this on the students' weblog, Stuart's Spectacular Students. My heart swelled so much after writing it that it's flowing over to this site. Kenny is indeed spectacular, and I want the world to know it.

Like Father, Like Son

Working at the same school where my children go to school is great. My son's class had Artyfacts at the same time my class did. Brosden and I got to sit next to each other and do our project together.

These were done using wicky sticks.

Stuart's SPECTACULAR Students

I'm working on posting the many, many as-of-yet-unposted pictures I have of my students over on their site. I owe it to them for an entire year of being driven by a ridiculous madman intent on helping them feel and become unstoppable. The funny thing is, they had more fun doing and becoming than they've ever had.

They've also accomplished more academically as a group than they ever before. On more than one test they've averaged an "A" as a class average. The average student demonstrated MASTERY of the subject!

I feel confident that they are deep in the process of truly becoming Masters of Their Own Fate. Click on their link to the right, over their under the "My Name is Jack" link, to see them. Or, for all you people over 40 (which is now me), just click here.........Stuart's Spectacular Students

Share in their success. If you feel a feeling or think a thought by something you see, please let them know by clicking the "comments" at the bottom of each post. For every 100 people who think of making a comment, one does. They are finalizing their memory books tomorrow morning. Who knows? Maybe something you say will be included.

I asked them at the beginning of the year what they would do with their lives that would last forever? Maybe something you say will encourage and inspire them throughout their lifetimes.