A Powerful Image

There are so many student photos I could post that would illustrate why I am so thankful to do what I do.  Some I don't have on my laptop or my phone and some I still have yet to take. However, I decided to include this powerful image that I am so thankful for finding online. For the life of me, I can't remember where I first found it but when I searched Google images for it, it's on numerous sites.  So if you are the originator of this image and are reading my post today, please email me so I can give you proper credit.

Motivational quotes, stories and images are part of every unit I teach.  We have a quote for the week which will correlate to a reading or theme and sometimes I introduce it with a graphic.  Today, I showed this image to my students and asked them to interpret its meaning. All interpretations were written on the whiteboard and validated (they were all really good). After all students shared, one of them asked what my interpretation was.  I responded by reading the quote of the week, "The state of your life is nothing more than a reflection of your state of mind" (Dr. Wayne Dyer ). It was a powerful moment.

I'm thankful for all those graphics that help me make my point and help my students learn. While translators, dictionaries and graphic organizers are helpful to ELLs, images bring vocabulary to life and engage their minds.

Today, this image brought my students a powerful message. While they may think they are merely a kitten, if they see themselves as a lion, that's who they really are.  
 

#BestYearEver