Many of us may remember the poem “The Road Not Taken” by Robert Frost. A few of us may have even memorized all or part of this poem. This poem was one of the most widely read and discussed poems in classrooms for multiple decades in our country. The Road Not Taken BY ROBERT FROST Two roads diverged in a yellow wood, And sorry I could not travel both And be one traveler, long I stood And looked down one as far as I could To where it bent in the undergrowth; Then took the other, as just as fair, And having perhaps the better claim, Because it was grassy and wanted wear; Though as for that the passing there Had worn them really about the same, And both that morning equally lay In leaves no step had trodden black. Oh, I kept the first for another day! Yet knowing how way leads on to way, I doubted if I should ever come back. I shall be telling this with a sigh Somewhere ages and ages hence: Two roads diverged in a wood, and I-- I took the one less traveled by, And that has made all the difference. The poem has been widely interpreted as a life lesson about taking the less traveled path. Take the different path. Take an original path in your life and that may make all the difference. It spoke to a rebellious path. It resonated with teenagers of many generations for its allowance of individual freedom and choice. The poem has also been interpreted that no matter the path one takes you may miss out and regret taking either path. That there are always experiences missed when a choice or path is selected. As we are in the midst of the 8th-9th transition, class selection for our returning students, and final university decisions, this is a continual conversation: What is the path I should take (student) or help my kid choose (parent)? As we have conversations with our students and parents, we ask a lot of questions about the path or paths you have taken as a parent. We talk to our students about the path and paths we selected. Stories and personal narratives on choices seem to be the best way to help make these decisions. When one tells his or her own story, there are always major choices to be discussed as a family. When talking to our children, our experiences as a family can be very different but also impactful. Over the three day weekend, it may be a fantastic time to talk to your kids about how you have arrived to this spot in your personal and professional life. Kids sometimes assume your life has been a clean, smooth route: While we know we have all had so many choices and paths, day after day, year after year, Kids also assume our paths are finished and done. This may be a good time to mention new paths you may see yourself heading down as you continue to grow.
Have a delightful weekend.
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How did it become February so quickly? The year is cruising along very rapidly. In the life cycle of our campus, we have entered a very interesting stretch of time. Two major things are happening with our students: 1. Seniors are becoming aware of college and university selections, and 2. Juniors, sophomores, and freshmen are all involved with course selection. Below are some pictures from our Elective Fair this week to showcase different opportunities for WHS students as they consider courses for next year: This time period can cause a general angst, elation, anger, concern, joy, sadness, and exhilaration, depending on what year you are in at WHS and what is happening in the world of decision making.
Our seniors are beginning to decide where they may spend their next four years, while our other students are deciding on how best to put themselves in the best position to make this decision when they are seniors. Tough stuff. Then you throw in all the information about college - there are always a ton of articles about the importance or non importance about college selection and its impact on success . This is also the time period when I get asked the same question repeatedly, especially after visiting Hill Country, West Ridge and our own PTO, with our College Admission presentation: how do I help make sure my kid (son or daughter) makes the correct choice on classes or college admission? After having these conversations over the years, I always advise parents to ask these questions to their child: 1. How can I help you make these decisions? 2. How can I assist you in finding your path at WHS? 3. How can I help you select the right college for you? Research still shows that parents have the second greatest influence on their kids outside of their friends. I recently read a study where the numbers were 51% friends, while parents were at 49% - that's a pretty close race for influence. I believe the key word is influence. As our kids grow into adults, we become more of influencers than autocratic decision makers for them. We hope you can find the time to talk to your students about all these decisions. Listen. Advise. Listen. Counsel. Listen. Recommend. Listen. Suggest. You have raised some magnificent children: trust yourself as you listen to their thoughts. Some of yall may have recognized the title of these thoughts from the Smashing Pumpkins. For those of us who were growing up as well during this time, remember the power of two lines from this group: what I choose is my choice, what I choose is my voice. As always, we are here to support y'all during these days. We hope you have a wonderful weekend. |
Steve Ramsey: WHS Principal BlogPrincipal's Weekly Reflections Archives
May 2019
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