Lighting a spark.  This was a powerful reading something that makes you think about the times you thought something didn’t go over as well as you thought it should have gone over. I have had situations during my teaching years when I thought my lesson did not go over well and how I really felt like I not only wasted the time of myself but that of my students as well.  I have had student to say to me, “Mrs. Jordan that was a good lesson”.  I would think for a minute what mad that child say that.  Was that to make me feel better? 

When we think our students are not paying attention to the lesson we get upset and try to bring their focus to the lesson by asking them to repeat what you just said.  To your surprise, they can repeat word for word what you said.  The thought of them repeating what you said bought a spark to you mind.

I can reflect on times when my students have come back to me the next year with excitement sharing with me their experience in my math class and how it has helped them to become good math students.  We always look for spark but we should always give sparks to others.  It is more blessing to give than to receive.  I try each week or daily going out of my way telling a teacher or student how great something was that they might have done.  We did a book study on filling buckets and I think this story is all about filling someone’s bucket at the same time someone is filling your bucket.  I remember receiving an email from my daughter one day thanking me for being a good mother.  She also thanked me for pushing her and telling her never to give up on things in life.  You life and your future is what you make it.  No one else can make it for you; you have to make it for your self.

To me a spark is like the light that you see when you see a beautiful colorful butterfly and how it flapped its wings right before your eyes.