Muddy Waters said the only failed musician is a musician who quit.
How would you know when it was time to stop trying? I knew someone who would just keep saying what he wanted until the other person gave in and went along with him. Talking to him was like talking to a wall. His agenda never wavered.
I’ve been looking back at stories and lessons from a time when we worked deeply with teachers to figure out how kids learn to use writing for many purposes. Then times changed–our talk changed to standards, assessments, data.
The value of what we had learned and taught didn’t change–choice, authentic purpose, safety to take risks, skill to communicate and express what you wanted, models and scaffolds to get them started. Its time to find a way to bring back that talk even if it feels like the man in this story.
A journalist assigned to the Jerusalem bureau has an apartment
overlooking the Western Wall. Every day when she looks out,
she sees an old bearded Jewish man praying vigorously. Certain
he would be a good interview subject, the journalist goes down
to the Wall, and introduces herself to the old man.She asks, “You come every day to the Wall. Sir, how long have you
done that and what are you praying for?”The old man replies, “I have come here to pray every day for 25
years. In the morning I pray for world peace and for the brotherhood
of man. I go home have a cup of tea, and I come back and pray for
the eradication of illness and disease from the earth. And very, very important, I pray for peace and understanding between the Israelis and Palestinians.”The journalist is impressed. “How does it make you feel to come
here every day for 25 years and pray for these wonderful things?”
she asks.The old man replies, calmly, “Like I’m talking to a wall.”