You’ve probably seen them at times while passing through the house plant sections of Lowes’ or Home Depot. I’ve even seen them a few times at Sam’s. You may have even bought one bec
ause it was so attractive. The blossoms last a long time, then they fall off, and the plant just sits there. Maybe once a year it adds a leaf. Or you may see some silvery-green roots creep out of the potting material and over the edge of the pot. But new blossoms? May pigs fly!
What I’m talking about are the showy orchid plants, with their white, pink or purple blossoms. Large, moth-like blossoms. They are derived from the genus Phalaenopsis. The simple instructions on the tags would lead one to think that the plants can hardly wait to bloom again. Sort of like teaching – it sounded so easy in the education classes.
The students at my school will begin classes on Friday, August 10. Most were at school briefly today for orientation – finding their classrooms, meeting their new teachers, and watching their parents fill out even more forms.
Each student is a plant, just waiting to bloom. When they walk into your classroom, you wonder what color their blossoms will be. Will they struggle to put out a few simple blossoms, or will the stuff just come pouring out of them? And after the initial blooming period, can you keep them blooming, or get them to bloom again? Have you found the secret yet (just like each plant has its preferred conditions for blooming, so each child has his or her special conditions). Usually, one has to experiment a little to discover just what each one needs.
What the orchid tags don’t mention is that to trigger bud formation, the plants mu
st have just the right lighting conditions. Yes, intensity of light is crucial when the lights are on. But even more crucial is the need for continuous, uninterrupted darkness. As in almost total darkness. Twelve hours of it each night. I mean, with no interruptions at all. Even light coming in the window from the street-light can inhibit bud setting. Turning the light on for a moment to check the thermostat can do it. Is it any wonder that the once-beautiful plant sitting on your coffee table hasn’t bloomed since you brought it home?
How did I find this out? I applied considerable effort, did a lot of detailed reading, and gained much experience. You see, while I was in grad school, I used to raise Phalaenopsis orchids. I had over forty plants, with many in bloom at once. Now, I only have eight plants, but a week ago, there were six of them in bloom on our fireplace hearth. And did I mention that the Lord helped out a lot? I am just an under-gardener!
Successful teaching works the same way. Do a lot of reading, find out what works for other"gardeners", experiment some. Give those children the “light” they need. And go to the Lord often. You, too, can be a successful gardener of fertile minds!
Sometimes being in the dark can be a good thing.
God Bless!
Dr. G
ause it was so attractive. The blossoms last a long time, then they fall off, and the plant just sits there. Maybe once a year it adds a leaf. Or you may see some silvery-green roots creep out of the potting material and over the edge of the pot. But new blossoms? May pigs fly!What I’m talking about are the showy orchid plants, with their white, pink or purple blossoms. Large, moth-like blossoms. They are derived from the genus Phalaenopsis. The simple instructions on the tags would lead one to think that the plants can hardly wait to bloom again. Sort of like teaching – it sounded so easy in the education classes.
The students at my school will begin classes on Friday, August 10. Most were at school briefly today for orientation – finding their classrooms, meeting their new teachers, and watching their parents fill out even more forms.
Each student is a plant, just waiting to bloom. When they walk into your classroom, you wonder what color their blossoms will be. Will they struggle to put out a few simple blossoms, or will the stuff just come pouring out of them? And after the initial blooming period, can you keep them blooming, or get them to bloom again? Have you found the secret yet (just like each plant has its preferred conditions for blooming, so each child has his or her special conditions). Usually, one has to experiment a little to discover just what each one needs.
What the orchid tags don’t mention is that to trigger bud formation, the plants mu
st have just the right lighting conditions. Yes, intensity of light is crucial when the lights are on. But even more crucial is the need for continuous, uninterrupted darkness. As in almost total darkness. Twelve hours of it each night. I mean, with no interruptions at all. Even light coming in the window from the street-light can inhibit bud setting. Turning the light on for a moment to check the thermostat can do it. Is it any wonder that the once-beautiful plant sitting on your coffee table hasn’t bloomed since you brought it home?How did I find this out? I applied considerable effort, did a lot of detailed reading, and gained much experience. You see, while I was in grad school, I used to raise Phalaenopsis orchids. I had over forty plants, with many in bloom at once. Now, I only have eight plants, but a week ago, there were six of them in bloom on our fireplace hearth. And did I mention that the Lord helped out a lot? I am just an under-gardener!
Successful teaching works the same way. Do a lot of reading, find out what works for other"gardeners", experiment some. Give those children the “light” they need. And go to the Lord often. You, too, can be a successful gardener of fertile minds!
Sometimes being in the dark can be a good thing.
God Bless!
Dr. G
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