When things are getting too fast in the fast lane ...

A friend recently sent me this email which made me think about our priorities.





A professor stood before his philosophy class
and had some items in front of him.
When the class began, wordlessly,
he picked up a very large and empty mayonnaise jar
and proceeded to fill it with golf balls.

He then asked the students, if the jar was full.
They agreed that it was.

The professor then picked up a box of pebbles and poured
them into the jar. He shook the jar lightly.
The pebbles rolled into the open areas between the golf balls.

He then asked the students again if the jar was full. They agreed it was.

The professor next picked up a box of sand and poured it into the jar.
Of course, the sand filled up everything else.
He asked once more if the jar was full. The students responded with a unanimous 'yes.'

The professor then produced two cups of coffee from under the table and poured the entire contents into the jar, effectively
filling the empty space between the sand. The students laughed.

'Now,' said the professor, as the laughter subsided,
'I want you to recognise that this jar represents your life.
The golf balls are the important things - family,
children, health, Friends, and Favorite passions –
Things that if everything else was lost and only they remained, Your life would still be full.

The pebbles are the other things that matter like your job, house, and car.

The sand is everything else --The small stuff.

'If you put the sand into the jar first,' He continued,
'there is no room for the pebbles or the golf balls.
The same goes for life.

If you spend all your time and energy on the small stuff,
You will never have room for the things that are important to you.

So...

Pay attention to the things that are critical to your happiness.
Play With your children.
Take time to get medical checkups.
Take your partner out to dinner.

There will always be time to clean the house and fix the disposal.

'Take care of the golf balls first --
The things that really matter.
Set your priorities. The rest is just sand.'

One of the students raised her hand and inquired what the coffee represented.

The professor smiled.
'I'm glad you asked'.

It just goes to show you that no matter how full your life may seem,
there's always room for a couple of cups of coffee with a friend.'

Readathon

This week at Liberton High we aim to raise lots of money for a variety of worthy causes by participating in Readathon. Here is a link to a really inspiring clip (from Ocoee Middle School) of another school's efforts to make reading fun for pupils!

Thanks to our librarians Mrs Babbs and Mrs Brown for sharing their enthusiasm with the entire school community.

Teachers from Malawai

It has been ages since I last blogged; it's too easy to get out of the routine!

Today we had the pleasure to welcome two colleagues from Malawi to our school. Both were on an exchange visit with colleagues at Gilmerton Primary School and chose to spend a morning with us at the high school. In the brief opportunity I had to chat with them, I was amazed at some of their life experiences. Imagine teaching classes with up to 400 pupils in the. The school they teach in has 1320 pupils and only 8 teachers. I wonder if they are 'meeting learners' needs'?