“At the center of your being
you have the answer;
you know who you are
and you know what you want.”
― Lao Tzu
A few weeks ago, the 7th Grade Scholars spent the evening identifying their personal strengths and weaknesses. After doing so, I told them to cross out the word “weakness” and replace it with “areas of growth” in order to encourage their ability to change.
Self-awareness is a skill students do not always have the opportunity of exploring on a day-to-day basis. One of the blessings for me at FLOC is to be able to see students express themselves and their personal interests. Whether it is talking to a student one-on-one or facilitating a strengths/weakness exercise, seeing the authenticity of students offers great inspiration.
I was impressed with the students’ self-awareness and transparency regarding areas in their life where they may struggle and in the places they know they thrive. It is so important for our students to become more self-aware at such a young age, so they are able to know the places in their lives in which they can thrive and grow.
(Kurt Guenther is a Scholars Program Instructor for 7th and 11th grade.)
