Success - Is it Luck, Preparation or a matter of Timing?

Dear Students and Parents;

First off, I know that watching this post is going to take up a 100 minutes of your life just to watch.  However, this is very likely the most significant video posted on this entire blog - chiefly because it synthesizes what I have been trying to get across since my very first post.  It is about being unique, being brilliant and being able to get along with people.  More than that, it speaks to what it takes to be a success - in whatever one chooses to become.

Louis Pasteur, the scientist who 'discovered' the process of milk pasteurization said, "Chance favors a prepared mind."  

If you have the opportunity, I also encourage you to read all of Malcolm Gladwell's books, but the focus of this video is his book, "Outliers."

Here is my incentive for any of you students who want to receive credit for the entire semester; all you have to do is watch, and give me a written commentary on this one, single video.  In doing so, you will receive credit - for the entire semester's requirement for 12 feedback assignments, or you can also just read, "Outliers" and give me a book review.  My only requirement is that you;

1]  Give me a synopsis - minimum three paragraphs.
2]  Share your thoughts in an intelligently written essay - you choose the approach, all I ask is that you wow me with your brilliance.  I assure you, this will not be difficult.  You have all the brilliance it takes to shine in this assignment. 
3]  The due date for this assignment is 15 December, and the entire paper cannot be less than 1500, or more than 10,000 words.  Some of you people are prolific writers.


For those Seventh and Eighth graders who might think this challenge is out of your league; I do not agree.  I have seen you tooling along all semester, and you are more than holding your own.  As a matter of fact, the best outlined notes I have seen this semester are from seventh and eight graders.  This is what Gladwell talks about when he refers to, 'restriction of range.'

Some of you might argue that this is unfair to anyone who has completed feedback assignments throughout the semester.  My response is that you have an even greater advantage because you have banked some phenomenal information that no one can ever take away from you.  You have already upped your chances because you have invested in preparation.  You are doing what Louis Pasteur talked about.  I assure you that, once you have watched this video, you will better understand why there really are no short-cuts.

I sincerely hope every student takes advantage of this opportunity - think of Wayne Gretsky as a baby, or Gladwell's story about the runner who wanted to run up a hill backwards.  I also hope you share the time to watch this with each other, your parents and your friends.  I even encourage you to work together as a family to write this up, because working together is a good thing.  My reason for encouraging this is also embedded in the video.  There are hundreds if not infinite tangents you can take regarding this assignment.  Its the 'brick-and-blanket' test.

That is why there is no way to 'cheat' this assignment; your reward is directly correlated to your personal investment and contribution to this Feedback Response.  Only you will know if you deserve it.  Make it yours.

It will be interesting to see who takes up this challenge.  Will it be the established die-hards that always give me Feedbacks?  Will it be the tortoises or the hares?  I can't wait to find out. notwithstanding, this offering comes to you on the shiniest night of November 2012.  It just worked out that way.  Let's just call it Malcolm's Moonlight Madness.

Now, grab some popcorn and a note pad...