You Will Want To Share Peter's New Film "The Testing Camera"...It Will Change Lives

My friend Peter Reynolds has created something beautiful for all of us.  It is a new film called The Testing Camera.  

Peter stated on The Live Wire blog, 

This is my gift to educators to remind them to follow their instincts and remember why they got into teaching in the first place: to see the potential in every child, to nurture those emerging gifts and talents, and to change lives." 

As I watched The Testing Camera, my eyes filled with tears and I remembered what it was like when my teachers and family truly saw my potential as a young person.  It made me feel like I could do anything.  They supported and nurtured by love and talent for art.  I saw the potential that I had within myself.  I knew I could do anything I was passionate about and that I had a voice to make that happen.  It changed my life. 

That is one of the most important gifts we can give the young people in our lives.  To inspire a child to look inside of themselves and see the light they possess is one of the reasons I love being a teacher and librarian.  

Last fall I had the honor of presenting with Peter and our amazing friend Terry Shay at the ITEC Conference in Des Moines.

We spoke about Connecting the DOTS and how together we can inspire creativity, collaboration, and those around us.

I brought my son Hagan with me on that day.  He enjoys Peter's books so much and loves the message that is shared.  It was fun to see them talking that day.  It made me very thankful for my friends and others that make my son feel so good about himself. 

Hagan definitely knows that we all see him and all of the potential that he holds....Just as Daisy and her Dad in Peter's new film.  I hope that his teachers and others continue to do that as he gets older.  It does make such a difference.  

We, as teachers, need to post this poster and play this film at the beginning of the year for our students.  It will remind us and all of them every singled day just how important we all are...

and that we have grand potential being ourselves!  It will change lives.