THOUGHTS FOR PRE-SERVICE AND BEGINNING TEACHERS (27)

Over many years I came to appreciate two fine student qualities.

* One was the quality of imagination with which children and young people are imbued and blessed.

* The other was the simple, creative and often unique ways in which students tackled problems and arrived at solutions to issues.

These were qualities that added to the contribution and impact that was offered by students elected by their peers to representative councils.

When talking with students, I used to urge upon them the fact they ought to work hard to retain their qualities of imagination into their adult years. When imagination diminishes, problems often grow to take on quite significant proportions.

Similarly, my engagement with students was to urge upon them the fact they should always consider issues carefully but retain the personal confidence necessary too be significant problem solvers.