Life Lessons: Perseverance and staying the course

If I could teach a class with young aspiring students and I had to plan an introduction I would definitely put a lot of thought into it and I would relate my personal experiences. I feel we all have something to share with each other and we have a commitment to be responsible and to learn an effective way of communicating our knowledge, experiences and insight to help shape young minds. I feel teachers don't always get the respect and credit they deserve. I was fortunate to learn at an early age the importance of following direction, showing respect and staying attentive in the classroom. I was also very responsible with my homework assignments as I had a good support system with my Mom and my teachers. I learned a lot about life from my Mom and Dad and I was very impressionable and always knew that I had to take responsibility at a young age since I started my schooling.

The first thing I would discuss with young students is the importance of learning to like yourself. We all have to feel self acceptance and learn to appreciate who we are and feel comfortable with ourselves. The next thing I would teach young students is that they should always keep an open mind to learning and enjoy all facets of learning and they should always have a desire to explore and expand their minds and develop their talents and always learn to persevere. The key in life is to have self confidence and a desire to do your best. You don't have to be a genius to succeed and accomplish your goals and dreams. You just have to have a desire, a plan and a firm commitment and sense of never giving up.

I have discussed these ideals with my son and I try to make it an easy and manageable approach as my son has a limited span of attention and his mind processes things so fast. He is very aware of what I say and he realizes the importance of being responsible and following the teacher's instruction. I have a lot of patience with Matthew and try to put myself in his situation so I can try to understand what he must be experiencing. I am very easy going and want him to know that I am there for him and wish to help him every step of the way.

In my own life I have learned from experience that we all have to try our best at all times and to never give up. I remember when I was a mechanical engineering student in college how I at times felt overwhelmed with the course load and I remember trying to strive for my best at all times. I was fortunate that I had a desire to learn calculus and physics and that I found those subjects very stimulating and challenging and I was proud when I solved the problems. I was intrigued by applying formulas to mathematical and scientific situations. I also had the desire because my dad was an ironworker and worked on bridges and buildings and he had a talent for building Lindbergh's Spirit of St Louis air plane from cardboard, toothpicks and shoe boxes. He also built a tower crane and the steel frame of a building under construction and John F. Kennedy's PT 109 boat from the same materials and they all looked like they came from a model kit. He had an amazing talent and I was always so impressed as a young kid with his many projects. I also developed an interest in business and taxation and accounting and continued my schooling by pursuing an accounting degree. I was a very studious and committed student and I always strived to do my best.

I also learned to develop perseverance as a cross country runner in high school where I would run up to 75 - 80 miles a week for training. I remember enjoying those days and learning from our coach discipline and mental toughness. We had some exhausting training sessions and it helped build confidence and character. I remember my parents were proud when I completed races and placing well in the pack and they were extremely proud when I graduated from college.

Life is about learning and experiences and we all learn everyday and we must always stay focused and remain confident each and every day because we will always encounter new situations and be called upon to use our knowledge and skills and we will always be tested and our firm commitment to facing the challenges and proposing solutions is what makes us needed as professionals. We must always remember to persevere and to approach our assignments with purpose, dedication and confidence. My dad always did his best and he and mom both instilled this in me and I will instill this in my son.

I will always remember my parent's insight and the precious words of wisdom my parents shared with me.

"Bloom where you are planted." was something my dad always shared with me.

My mom always sat with me and helped me learn my mathematics problems and she would always say to "Never be afraid and always stay the course."

I have lived with these quotes all my life and they bring me back to happier times.

Edward D. Iannielli III