Reflection on the Power of an Idea

Ideas can be both wonderfully dangerous and incredibly powerful.  Therefore as educators we must be extremely jubilant and at the same time cautious when planting our ideas because we never know where these ideas will lead. The beauty of teaching is that we as teachers are also moved and changed by these wonderful, powerful ideas.

Case in point, several years ago, my students were working on SMART goals for themselves when one of the students asked me what my SMART goal was.  After some thought and in all seriousness, I told the class that my SMART goal was to win the Nobel Prize (probably for science) at least once.

In clarification, my idea was not to win the award myself, but that one of my students would be nominated and win the award though their own efforts. My real goal was that my students would not only learn science but that they would be motivated to change the world.  I elaborated that I hoped the student would mention my name as being one of the individuals who inspired and shaped him or her. As she accepted her award, I expected another of the nominees would shout out incredulously, “He was my teacher too!!” 

Every year since that SMART goal session I have been sharing the same goal.  I am very confident that most of my students will do something great and if they want they will win a Nobel Prize. By planting this seed, I have set in motion an idea that is much more powerful than the skills and concepts I teach every day.  Though the skills and concepts are important, responsibility and aspiration for personal fulfillment is what is going to change the world. The probability that one of my students will accept a Nobel Prize is much more likely due to my suggestion.

As educators we must sow our seeds very carefully.  I am certain that the idea of winning a Nobel Prize somehow led to my place in the 50 finalists for the Global Teacher Award. This award is billed as the Nobel Prize of education for teachers and represents the highest public recognition.  Of the thousands of teachers who work with children all over the world, I am on a list of fifty who are being acknowledged. I am humbled and grateful for this honor. At the same time I am awed at the power of this idea and the other ideas I sow in my class. I wanted my students to know and believe that they could achieve great things. The idea that I planted grew very quickly and led to a result which wasn’t exactly the one I intended.

I want my students to take notice. Ideas planted are extremely powerful. Every day I work with my students to grow our ideas and realize important goals.  Presently we are working to build our school into the education eco-center for Northeast China.  I am sure that the results of this project will surprise me. This project will grow into something wonderful and meaningful, something that will change the lives of many individuals both in our area and beyond.  It is great to plant a seed and it is even better to see it grow and flourish.

As teachers and students, let us be very thoughtful about the ideas that we choose to plant. I would like to propose a few ideas to help shape our thinking about the world:

• Our understanding how the world works helps us make good decisions
• We should never hurt anyone intentionally and we should speak out about injustice and bullying wherever it occurs.
• We all deserve enough food to live. Nobody should starve.
• The ends don’t justify the means.  You shouldn’t do something horrible for the benefit of the greater good.
• Maintaining a healthy environment is essential for our well-being.

Furthermore, what we do and think is very important. Our actions should make the world a better place.  We should be careful about how we use resources and what we do with the things we no longer need. Just because we don’t see them anymore doesn’t mean our wastes are being taken care of in a sustainable way. Tread softly in this world.  Our ideas and actions are very powerful.

My students know they are not off the hook.  This is not exactly what I had in mind when I said that I wanted to be recognized with a Nobel Prize. Our ideas are powerful seeds and our potential for growth is limitless. I still am waiting for them to receive the official Nobel Prize; and when they thank me, they should wait a moment. Even if they don’t hear anyone call out, somewhere someone is saying, “He was my teacher too.”