Times like these :/

I think every teacher is faced with such times as these: times when there is much to accomplish in a short timespan. Somehow, to accomplish the goal, the teacher has to not only keep her own mind but marshal the minds of her students into the same direction without trampling their ideas, without making them keenly feel their ignorance of the big picture, without overwhelming them with the big picture, without expecting too much of them, without expecting too little of them--any or all of which robs them of their personal investment in the project. I've arrived at such a moment again & wonder if I have the needed patience & clarity & gentleness--as well as a certain nameless quality of diplomacy--to accomplish this great task. In the end, the way the goal is accomplished is of far more importance than is the goal itself.