Annelle Keller responding to John Wooden on true success

What an inspiration!  John Wooden's definition of success was to never try to be someone else, learn from others, and never cease trying to be the best YOU can be.  Making the effort of doing the best at which YOU are capable is Wooden's message.  His simple values that his own father taught him allowed enabled Wooden to instill those same values in his players and students.  

As teachers, we wear many hats - role model, nurse, confidant, counselor, cheerleader, mother, mediator, just to name a few.  As a middle school teacher, it is often difficult to teach kids to be their own person and love themselves for who they truly are.  Trying to teach and encourage that they should never seek to be better than someone else, they should always learn from others, and they should never stop trying to be the best he/she can be is something that I strive to instill in my students almost everyday.  Being able to accept oneself - faults and all - is truly something I teach my students.  I loved the end of his talk when he stated, "The Journey is better than the end.  Getting there is the fun!"  John Wooden's love for teaching is evident throughout his TED talk.  He seemed to have always taught his students, as well as his athletes, not only the game of basketball, but also the game of life.  I hope and pray that once my students leave our school at the end of their 8^th grade year, that through my life lessons and teachings in my classroom, they have been able to begin their own journey in becoming the BEST person that they can be.