Personal Strengths

Lesson Plan - Get It!

Audio:

A Bag of Tools

Isn’t it strange
That princes and kings,
And clowns that caper in sawdust rings,
And common people
Like you and me
Are builders for eternity?
Each is given a bag of tools,
A shapeless mass,
A book of rules;
And each must make —
ere life is flown —
A stumbling block
Or a stepping stone.

by R. L. Sharpe

Think for a minute about what this poem means to you. This reflection will be revisited!

• What is a strength?

A strength is something you do very well. It may be something that comes naturally to you or a skill or talent you have worked hard to master.

Everyone has something that is considered a strength. This can range from mathematics to art to playing soccer. You may be a skilled writer, but you might need to spend extra time on that algebra homework. This is what makes each and every one of us unique. As a unique individual preparing for a bright future, it's time to search for that something which you'd like to focus on as a career.

Everyone needs help from time to time, so spend a few minutes on the Knowing my strengths page, from Going to College. While there, think about the poem from the beginning of this section, and record a list of your top three strengths.

Now that you're back and have your strengths recorded, re-read the poem, and think about the following questions:

• What does this poem say to you?
• What is said about all people in all walks of life?
• What is meant by our "bag of tools"?
• Why is it a shapeless mass?
• What is your book of rules?
• What is meant by "ere life is flown"?
• What is meant by "A stumbling block Or a stepping stone"?

Please refer to the Bag of Tools Answer Key, located in Downloadable Resources in the right-hand sidebar, for the answers.

When you are ready, continue on to the Got It? section to start discovering your strengths!