In my classroom, just inside the door there is a piece of construction paper with a word printed on it. This word, which is changed weekly, is meant to give students an opportunity to reflect on their behavior, attitude, and state of mind. And though I can't remember what the word is this week (or last), I found myself this evening reflecting on the word persistence. So I looked it up: to persist, meaning to go on resolutely or stubbornly in spite of difficulties. I had originally been considering this word, because of some of my recent interactions with students have left me wondering whether they can or even want to persist, in biology or high school. I feel like I have seen enough to know that students have a stubborn nature, but I rarely see it applied to their schoolwork. But on those occasions when I do see it, I am inspired. I am proud to spend time after the bell working with a student to finish the day's assignment.
So tonight, I continued to consider persistence, in the context of my own life. In particular, I am thinking about my need (and to some degree desire) to understand the crystal structure of cadmium minerals. I have been having serious difficulty understanding the concept of symmetry elements and operations, the three-dimensional arrangement of atoms, and the extensive crystallographic language that is used to describe the whole thing. I have four books from the library on crystal chemistry and mineralogy. I've spent two weekends building paper and Styrofoam and toothpick models of mineral structures. And I still don't really understand how 6mm is different from 6mc. But I know that I can't give up, I have to persist.
So, I understand that biology isn't the most interesting thing on the planet. (I say this with a full knowledge that biology might well be the most interesting thing on the planet.) And I know that it is way way way above crystal structures and mineralogy on the list. But perhaps the key to really learning either one is persistence.
