“There are some things you learn best in calm, and some in storm.” ~ Willa Cather, The Song of the Lark
Intensity: Exceptionally great concentration, power, or force.
When our son was in about second grade, he took a summer writing class at a local “College for Kids” program in which college professors shared their areas of passion with elementary age children in one- or two-week courses. One day at the end of class, the professor took me aside and said, “I have to tell you, your son is so intense.” I braced myself, used to the fact that for many adults, children’s intensity is a nuisance (at best) or even something to fear.
He then broke into a wide grin: “It’s wonderful.”
Said son is now in college, and while I have promised him that I won’t use this blog as a way to embarrass him with anecdotes and details of his childhood, I can’t think of a better way to begin to write about learning with intensity.
Why has this memory stayed so clear after all these years? It was one of the first times I realized that intensity can be not just a good thing, but a wonderful thing. While the professor has certainly long forgotten about that particular class, it was an important moment in my not only beginning to understand the role of intensity in education but also appreciating family members and friends—young and old—in a new way.
What is everyday intensity? That’s what we’ll explore: how to recognize intensity, how to remember and reclaim the intensity we remember from our childhoods, ways to use intensity rather than let it overwhelm us, and, why to celebrate it, especially in our youngest learners.
And when things become a bit too intense, we’ll take plenty of breaks for other intense topics, such as chocolate and knitting and cooking and good books.
Welcome to my blog!
