Are You Listening?
Along with all of the resources provided by the Spirit of Teaching, I have also been doing a podcast called Teacher Tales.
The purpose of the podcast is to let teachers share their stories or “tales” of teaching with the hope that their stories, insights, words of wisdom and experiences will serve as lessons as well as sources of inspiration to other teachers.
It is also a form of advocacy and legacy-building effort for the profession as these stories serve as insights to what it is really like to be a teacher. The public often has a skewed viewpoint, and the podcast can help those who are not teachers see things more clearly and realistically.
As each podcast guest teacher shares their story, a theme of main ideas and some really inspiring lessons seem to come through for the listener.
For example, in Teacher Tales Episode #5, I talk to Meredith, a dear friend and fellow conference “junkie”. Meredith is an amazing teacher and human being whose positive energy, authenticity and sense of humor lifts you up and takes you away on a magic carpet ride to a “whole new world” of teaching (a little Aladdin-style), but at the same time she reminds teachers to stay real and set one priority in this moment that will help us find balance and sustainability in what we do.
It is a little like reminding us that wherever we go, Abu is always along for the ride. You remember Abu, right? That mischievous little monkey who is a kleptomaniac, gets frustrated rather easily and hates to be made a fool of. At the same time, Abu is loyal, unselfish, big-hearted, empathic and benevolent.
Hmmmm, sounds like a metaphor for teaching. As teachers, we want to take those students on that magic carpet ride of learning. We want to help them see the world in a whole new perspective that will uplift their efforts and their view of themselves.
However, we also need to remember Abu is always with us on that journey.
What, you say? How is that?
There is always a side kick who helps keep the idealistic, quixotic protagonist hero in check. We all need those “Sancho Panza” reality checks to keep us grounded and more realistic with our expectations so that we don’t jump on the magic carpet and fly off into the land of “woulda-coulda-shoulda” because we have not created balance and sustainability through our choice of one priority in this moment.
We don’t have to be master plate spinners, jugglers, lion tamers, ringleaders or any other character related to a circus and monkeys. The first year I was teaching, I likened my job to that of a “ringleader” in a circus of too many ACTions to perform all at once and all within that ring, which is a circle that keeps things looping back around again and again. And then, I won’t even go into the whole metaphor of the fiery hoops we feel we have to jump through in order to prove our value and worth as teachers! My students thought the whole metaphor of school as a circus was hilarious, and so, the Spanish Club had a jersey made for me that had “ringleader” on the back in Spanish.
As Meredith also wisely points out, we don’t need to be planning and looking to the future all the time and stressing out. A little like Eckhart Tollé, she reminds us to live in the present moment and to focus on what is most important at that moment…to focus on one priority, and from there, we can find balance.
If we always look at life, at teaching, as a circus with a bunch of monkeys running around that we have to pick up and put on our backs and carry them everywhere, then, we cannot sustain that kind of life.
“Not my monkey, not my circus” has become a popular expression people use to set boundaries and to figure out what is a priority for their survival in life. They also quickly learn that “no” is a complete sentence and very similar in many languages (non, nein, ne, nem, nei… and so on). It doesn’t mean we are being negative when we use it. Maybe it is just a universal concept and word that is necessary for protection and survival.
“No” does not have to come packaged with further explanations or attachments like guilt, shame or disappointment. It is a necessary word to use to set boundaries and create sustainability in our lives. It doesn’t mean we are mean or selfish or negative.
Set a priority through awareness and doing an emotional check in.
Create balance from that awareness and your choices.
Seek sustainability by circling back and reflecting on your best practices.
What will be your priority today, this week, this month, this year?
What will you say “yes” to, and what will you say “no” to in order to survive?
How will you manage your inner “Abu” so that you can still take that magic carpet ride of life?
Once we create a “whole new world” inside of us, a whole new world of magical pathways and journeys will open up outside of us. Enjoy your magic carpet ride of life!
Go here to listen to more Teacher Tales, and please share this link with all the teachers you know!
You can also subscribe and listen via all the popular podcast channels such as Apple, Google, Spotify…
PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE…
If you know of a teacher you would like to nominate to be a guest on Teacher Tales (or if YOU would like to self-nominate), go to this link and submit a quick nomination. It takes less than a minute!!!
Or submit a name via an email at thespiritofteaching@gmail.com
Thank you! The world needs to hear more true stories of teachers!
Image credit:
“listen” by garageolimpo is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0.
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