Where Are You Going?

"Where are you going?" It's a phrase often heard in the hallways of a high school. On any given day teachers and administrators ask students where they are headed. They may be in the hallway without a pass, in the parking lot or on a hall during lunch. Whatever the reason, we want to know where their intended destination is. Having a direction keeps you from wandering aimlessly. While students may know where they are headed in the hallway, how many of them have a direction for the school year or beyond high school? We often talk about students being unmotivated, but think how hard it must be to be motivated when you do not have a goal. So often, I speak with students that have no idea what they want to do after high school. They have no goal. Without that goal, they have no reason to make good grades or apply themselves in certain areas. Kids today have grown up in a mass media culture that
tells them what to wear, what to eat and what to listen to. So is it any wonder why they struggle to answer that question for themselves, that they struggle with the process?

Now that we have talked about students, what about us? What do we want? Do you want to be the best teacher? Do you want more kids to score well? Do you want kids to be better writers or thinkers? As a teacher, what do you want? Can you answer it? If so, what are you doing to make that your main focus? In essence, "Where are you going?" Take some time to focus on finding direction for yourself and help your students do the same. When we know where we are going, we are much more likely to be satisfied with where we end up.