Don't Just Dream, Actualize!
Funded Jan 28, 2009I cannot thank you enough for the set of The Alchemist books that you helped to purchase for my AVID classes. We spent dozens of hours reflecting on the book and its themes of destiny, presence, and invisible barriers. Through reading the book and reflecting on it, my students have gained a greater knowledge of themselves, what it means to be present, their own destined paths, and the concept that their biggest obstacles may be invisible ones.
For my students, the book was not only a rich source for a project, but a deep life lesson. My students, almost all of which will be the first in their family to attend college, are most often paralyzed by their obstacles. The book, for those of you who haven't read it, often talks about a herd of sheep, who walk along their path without looking up, without even analyzing the path itself. The theme comes to its culmination when an Alchemist shows the main character, Santiago, how a deadly snake becomes harmless when a circle is drawn in the sand around it. Just as we all are at times in our lives, the snake is limited by this circle, an invisible barrier, which could be easily crossed if the snake could only see the barrier for what it was. Students compared themselves to the sheep and the snake. They analyzed their own invisible barriers, from their own fear of failure, to a negative comment by a teacher, to judgment by their community or society at large. Students also explored their own "personal legends," or ultimate destinies, and barriers and obstacles that their familial elders contended with in the past. Students then used the novel, interviews, and their own personal reflections as research sources for writing an essay on the three most important factors in achieving one's personal legend. This was put into a portfolio that included poetry and reflections. The students also imagined and created a memento as if they went 10 years ahead into their futures and brought something back.
This may just sound like a lot of assignments, but without the novel, the students would have missed something much more integral. Without reflecting on the book, the students would not have had the opportunity to picture themselves along a long road to success. They may not have analyzed reaching one's goals as a process of. They would not have developed such a deep understanding of using failure as a part of that process, or believed the idea that if you stay present and take care of things right now, your future will be affected positively.
While all of us have goals and dreams as well as a concept of where we are currently, the fundamental missing piece for a large number of my students is what the path to reaching their goal might entail, what kinds of obstacles might come up, and how to remain resilient in the midst of them. Unlike many of my students who did not get the chance to explore the novel, the AVID kids have bridged the great gap from where they are now to where they want to be by envisioning and evaluating their own path. They have analyzed their reactions to possible conflict and obstacles. Resiliency, an incredible challenge for the students who will be the first in their family to go to college, became a practiced reality through the exploration of The Alchemist. As a donor of the novel, The Alchemist, you have participated in fueling our students' resiliency. You have helped them understand how to face some of their obstacles, and to create a toolkit for those times when they do fail. As you can see from the accompanying photographs of the ropes course associated with the themes of the book, you have helped students to try things they never thought possible.
Again, thank you.”
With gratitude,
Ms. Baldwin