Focus

"What happens in school if we don't focus?  What happens at work if we don't focus?  What happens in relationships if we don't focus?  What happens in soccer (or any other sport) if we don't focus?"

"Game over."

"That's right-- we won't succeed."

This was part of a discussion I had with the 10th STD today.  During the warm-up, I witnessed over half the class give up, and several students became distracted in conversation with others-- DURING the warm-up.  I was shocked!  Not only had we just reviewed the Promethean Spark rules moments before, but this is also the oldest standard I teach, and they were behaving worse than my youngest classes!  Once we (and by "we" I mean "a handful of students and I") made it through the warm-up, I knew we couldn't settle for this.  I praised those who gave 100% throughout the warm-up, and then I helped the class talk about the consequences of their actions if they don't focus as opposed to if they DO focus.

We ran the warm-up a second time.  Night and day, I tell you-- the results were as stark as night compared to mid-day!  Okay, it still wasn't perfect, but they did it!  Where most of the class had given up by the end the first run-through, I only witnessed 3 or 4 students begin to waver.  Where I had seen lazy, disrespectful students before, I now saw students actually trying.  They were learning to focus.  They focused better on reaching from their cores to their distal edges.  They focused better on going deeper in their pliés.  They focused better on being balanced in relevé.  They focused better on completing all of the jumping jacks.  They focused better on not being distracted by others.  I was so happy for them-- for their ability and willingness to change their actions for the better!

It's fulfilling to watch these students learn and grow.  I can see their potential, and it's thrilling when they tap into it themselves!  I know that they are capable of amazing things, and I love it when they prove me right ;)  These are children from leprosy colonies!!!  They come from some of the most poverty stricken and underprivileged areas of India... of the world!-- yet here they are.  They are learning.  They are dancing.  They are succeeding...  I am overjoyed for them!