Student or Teacher: You Choose
“I’d rather learn from one bird how to sing
than teach ten thousand stars how not to dance”
-ee cummings (full text here)
I’m a sucker for quotes. Whether it’s from a poem, a book, a movie, or lyrics from a Rush song, if it speaks to me, I’m going to store that in a special place. Sometimes, it even turns into a tattoo!
The lines above are from my favorite poet of all time complete a larger poem and those lines spoke to me many years ago. Originally, I didn’t know why; they just grabbed my attention.
Then, I made the bold move to change careers: I got my teaching certificate and taught high school English for ten years.
During that time, these lines came back to me. I saw myself as the one bird, teaching my students to sing. I infused my classroom with improv techniques, my sense of humor, and personal stories from twenty years in the business world as well as all my experiences. I didn’t hold much back from my students. I shared the story of how I was jumped shortly after we moved to Des Moines. While studying Macbeth, I shared insight into one of my past relationships, and encouraged my students to recognize when they were dating Lady Macbeth and to run. Run as fast as they can! Even my Mom’s death, 20 years earlier, was a topic for discussion.
Mr. V’s class is the best!
Mostly, though, I tried to teach them how to sing. To recognize that they all had a purpose, a gift. They needed to share that gift with the world. Sometimes, my lessons were direct instruction to my students. Other lessons were in small group or private conversations with a student. Sometimes, a call home to express my concern about a student and the choices they were making lead to a complete turn-around. I brought a positive energy and joy to my classroom to which students responded. I encouraged them to chase their passions when all around them, from social groups to social media, they received messages to not.
One day, I listened to myself. How can I be a model for my students if I’m not walking the talk? I love teaching. I love interacting with students and being blessed when they share their stories and passions. As much as I love teaching, a Bigger Dream called. I had to answer; I had to show my students, and my family, that “a spirit with a vision is a dream with a mission.” (Rush, “Hold Your Fire”)
Now that I’m on my mission, the ee cummings’s line speaks to me in a different way. Now, I’m the “I” in the lines. I’m learning to sing myself, in a whole new way. In the past two years, I’ve learned so, SO much! I’m proud of my growth and am grateful for all the new connections I’ve made. From coaches to business professionals to educators and professors, I’m learning to sing from everyone. Each new opportunity provides a chance to learn and grow even more.
Get out there. Recognize every opportunity as one to learn to sing. Never stop learning, no matter how big or small. Maybe you’ll learn of a new opportunity, a new friendship, or something about yourself. Live in that growth mindset and keep learning to sing. One bird at a time.
