...so describes a senior in Hartford Connecticut, one of the poorest cities in one of the richest states in the country. This girl was failing. Years of doing poorly all but extinguished hope for her. She thought about quitting school. But school restructure, providing choice for students, gave a glimmer of hope for her, and she sees the possibilities of a good future now. She's taking PSEO classes at a community college, and states, "When I start seeing those As and Bs, my heart starts fluttering like butterflies."
Could there be any sweeter words spoken from a student in education? I'll speak metaphorically here. The butterfly has always been a symbol of rebirth and new life. The very hungry caterpillar turned into a beautiful butterfly, even after he ate tons of junk food and got a bellyache. When I think of butterflies, I think of metamorphosis and transformation. The insect is no longer anchored to a tree branch or a set of leaves; rather, it has the sky as the possibility. (If you're an Eastern monarch [like from Minnesota], you get a cool winter home in Mexico!)
What better metaphor for what we're trying to do here at Harriet Bishop, or, for that matter, what better metaphor for education in general? This girl nearly quit school. Now she's getting As and Bs, and her heart flutters like butterflies.
That's what I want for the students in this school and this district. To savor the taste of success; to build on that success and know that the future is as wide as the sky.
I want their hearts to flutter like butterflies.
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