Mr. Clark has created these 55 rules that are not limited to being incorporated within the classroom but in everyday life. I will be picking 5 rules to talk about. I do encourage everyone to pick up a copy of this book whether you want to be a teacher or not.
First rule I want to discuss is rule number Fifty: "Be positive and enjoy life. Some things are just aren't worth getting upset over. Keep everything in perspective and focus on the good in your life." The story Mr. Clark tells of his parents and their car breaking down really stuck with me. I have been known for my temper which is extremely bad. Little things can cause me to become aggressive and spoil my entire day. It is also said that we tend to really focus on all the negative instead of the positive. I have always tried to change this about my personality. So when Mr. Clark says that his parents "have always had that type of attitude, no matter what problems we faced, large or small, and they have never gotten negative or disgruntled over issues that are out of their control."(Page.143) I feel like I could really incorporate this rule in my life. I get so worked up over stuff that shouldn't even matter that I end up forgetting to enjoy all the beautiful thing this world has to offer.
My second important rule is rule number Fifty-one: "Live so that you will never have regrets. If there is something you want to do, do it! Never let fear, doubt, or other obstacles stand in your way. If there is something you want to do, go for it and don't stop until you make it happen. If there is something you want to be, do whatever is necessary in order to live out that dream." This rule I believe should be posted in every classroom. You should always encourage others to live out their dreams. The story Mr. Clark tells in this chapter makes you really see how quickly life changes. He talks about a family member he never met and how he was always scared to contact them but desperately wanted to meet them. Finally he made plans to go and see the person on Monday but unfortunately, the unknown family member died the Sunday before they were suppose to meet. Mr. Clark says that although he didn't know this person they did teach him the most important lesson in life. " He taught me one of the greatest lessons of my life, and this is to live so that I won't regret my choices or decisions."(Page.145) Mr. Clark regretted deeply not meeting this person and waiting so long to contact them. It does make you think about life a whole lot differently and not doing the thing you want because of fear. He says that he wants his kids "To make the most out of their lives and not let anything stand in the way of their dreams."(Page.145)
Third rule is rule number Fifty-two: "Accept that you are going to make mistakes. Learn from them and move on." For this rule Mr. Clark has two stories that he tells us. The first one is of a young boy Jermaine who he put in a partition and forgot about until 2 hours after school had been let out. Jermaine had fallen asleep behind the partition and knocked it down causing Mr. Clark to be alerted of the boys presence. He then drove Jermaine home and promised to never place anyone behind the partition ever agin. The next one is of a conflict he had with a teacher named Mrs. Bitterson. She would always complain of the noise that came from Mr. Clarks classroom. Somehow this turned into a prank war between the two. Except he soon found out that the only reason she would do this was because she wished to teach like him but sadly didn't know how. Mr. Clark felt so bad and he realized something very important. "An additional detriment of not getting along with coteachers is the impact it has on the students."(Page.151) You see Mr. Clark could of gone his whole life or at least a long time feeling guilty for both of these incidents. Instead he chose to learn from them and become a better person from letting these things go.
Next is rule number Fifty-four: "Carpe diem. You only live today once, so don't waste it. Life is made up of special moments, many of which happen when caution is thrown to the wind and people take action and seize the day." Mr. Clark has a point life is made up of special moments that many people don't even take note of. These last few rules have talked about how important it is to live your life to the fullest without having fear. I love the part where Mr. Clark says "How wonderful it would be to live an entire life with such freedom to try new things, experience the unknown, and face our fears."(Page.158)
Finally we have rule number Fifty-five: " Be the best person you can be." Many people try to hard to be something they are not. They end up losing themselves in the process of being something they so desperately believe they are. There are many factors that can cause us to forget to put this rule in effect. According to Mr. Clark there are seven things you need in life at all times. He says "Always make sure there are seven things in your life at all times: Laughter, family, adventure, good food, challenge, change, and the quest for knowledge."(Page.159) I believe that having these seven things can help you to become the best person you can be.
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