According to Master Yoda

Here is the first assignment I wrote for my final master's degree class. Thought you might need a laugh and a jolt of Master Yoda's wisdom today. 

Artwork is cartoons drawn by people I love as “representations” of my journey. Thanks, Marc and Ashley!

It’s been a long two years. I’ve told people for the past year that when I finish my final class, they will be required to call me Master; my sci-fi-loving family immediately decided that the title would expand to Jedi Master. One of the most famous masters of all time—Yoda—is also one of the wisest. A few of his quotes that apply to my own path to master.

•   “Size matters not. Look at me. Judge me by my size, do you?” Many gifted children are unfairly judged, either by the size of their bodies or the size of their intellects. My master’s program has taught me to dig deeper to the heart of the child before passing judgment.
•  “You must unlearn what you have learned.” I thought I knew gifted education before starting this program. So much of what I’ve thought and taught and used in the past has been replaced or improved through my studies.
•  “If no mistake you have made, losing you are. A different game you should play.” Studying gifted education has also taught me how important it is to teach gifted kids how to make mistakes—that mistakes are powerful teachers, often more powerful than generating too many easy, correct answers.
•  “Truly wonderful the mind of a child is.” Studying gifted education has expanded my perspective on all children, not just those who are identified as gifted. All children can benefit from methods that differentiate for abilities, interests, and motivations.

May 2015—I’ll be Master. I don’t know where my path will lead from here, but one thing I do know is this:

• “Do or do not . . . There is no try.” The most important reason I returned to school for my master’s degree at 45 was that I want to make a difference in the lives of gifted kids. I’ve made dozens of mistakes along the way, but this journey has taught me to learn from my mistakes and never give up.

This sketch sums up the last two years pretty well. Wielding a light saber while one-handedly juggling books, car keys (family responsibilities), and Evie upside down with her starfish hair, I’ve managed the demands of my seven kids, four grandkids, one husband, and nine (almost ten) master’s classes. And I’ve worn awesome boots the whole way.

Wherever I end up after this two-year experience, I do know one thing--I've loved every second of the journey.