ShadowTiger
04-04-2006, 09:45 AM
(Courtesy of Outpostnine.com (http://outpostnine.com))
The Moeko Principle:
A lot of people have asked me to pass along thanks, or gifts even to Moeko, and I just can't do that. Rather than showering her with appreciation, I think the best thing to do is remember what she did, and do that for someone else. Personally, I call this the Moeko Principle. Ever since getting the owl, I've taken special care to notice the kids who haven't given any reason to be noticed at all. Just because they don't stand out, that doesn't mean that they don't want to be acknowledged as well. It doesn't have to be much - looking over the quiet girl in the back's English assignment, telling her she did a good job...asking a shy boy how his soccer club practices are going...or even just remembering a student's name. Something to show them that at least one person gives a damn that they exist. It's not a hand-crafted owl, but hopefully it's enough.
Moeko will graduate from junior high school soon. In one of her recent notes, she addressed this - "I will graduate from this school in March. But we will still be friends, right?" ...My response to her? "Don't say silly things.....of course we will." That's a promise I can easily keep
Moeko's Principle, concieved by Azrael on outpostnine.com, is a lesson which I think that we should all take to heart. There are people like Moeko wherever you go, looking for attention but too shy to ask for it. It's really very simple to show them a smile or a friendly wave, even though you don't necessarily know them nor them you, but a smile is all it takes to brighten someone's day.
Moeko, a student in Azrael's second language class in Japan, was one of those shy students. Read the story "Moeko's Owl" that I've linked to below. That will explain the story behind this thread. It's very, very touching, really. Read these articles. :)
(Introduction)
Moeko's Owl (http://www.outpostnine.com/editorials/owl.html)
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|
V
The Moeko Principle (http://www.outpostnine.com/editorials/teacher100.html)
(The Lesson)
The Moeko Principle:
A lot of people have asked me to pass along thanks, or gifts even to Moeko, and I just can't do that. Rather than showering her with appreciation, I think the best thing to do is remember what she did, and do that for someone else. Personally, I call this the Moeko Principle. Ever since getting the owl, I've taken special care to notice the kids who haven't given any reason to be noticed at all. Just because they don't stand out, that doesn't mean that they don't want to be acknowledged as well. It doesn't have to be much - looking over the quiet girl in the back's English assignment, telling her she did a good job...asking a shy boy how his soccer club practices are going...or even just remembering a student's name. Something to show them that at least one person gives a damn that they exist. It's not a hand-crafted owl, but hopefully it's enough.
Moeko will graduate from junior high school soon. In one of her recent notes, she addressed this - "I will graduate from this school in March. But we will still be friends, right?" ...My response to her? "Don't say silly things.....of course we will." That's a promise I can easily keep
Moeko's Principle, concieved by Azrael on outpostnine.com, is a lesson which I think that we should all take to heart. There are people like Moeko wherever you go, looking for attention but too shy to ask for it. It's really very simple to show them a smile or a friendly wave, even though you don't necessarily know them nor them you, but a smile is all it takes to brighten someone's day.
Moeko, a student in Azrael's second language class in Japan, was one of those shy students. Read the story "Moeko's Owl" that I've linked to below. That will explain the story behind this thread. It's very, very touching, really. Read these articles. :)
(Introduction)
Moeko's Owl (http://www.outpostnine.com/editorials/owl.html)
|
|
V
The Moeko Principle (http://www.outpostnine.com/editorials/teacher100.html)
(The Lesson)