It is back to school time and if you are anything like me- more than ready for the kids to get back to school.
Don’t get me wrong- I love summer time. I love the warm weather, all the family adventures, all the outdoor activities, summer camps, and the late nights at the softball fields. I love the smell of the grill, the laughter at the neighborhood block party, the bright colors of my neighbors gorgeous flower gardens, and the way an ice cream cone tastes after a long summer day.
But I also love school. I love everything about learning- especially when it “clicks” for a student and they soar. I love reading and the smell of fresh books. I love the smell of a “clean” school and home. I love routines, knowing what’s expected and when. I love the crisp mornings, with the iridescent dew there to greet you at the bus stop.
It’s without question that I have a passion for teaching. I enjoy helping people big and small learn new things and ultimately thrive at whatever it is they are trying to accomplish. Whether it be teaching a preschool dancer how to do an arabesque, helping an adult learn how to master excel pivot tables, or coaching my kiddo on how our family does the dishes.
Teaching is one of those things we all do- whether we feel called to or not. As parents we must teach our children how to be many things including how to be kind, brave, determined, and compassionate.
As friends we are often teaching another friend something about what we are learning- whether it be a new baking tip, book we read, or life hack. As an employee we often are asked to teach the new hire the ropes, be their mentor, or help a client or other business partner learn of a change being implemented.
We are all teachers at some point in our lifetime. Let me share some of my life lessons in my 20 years of teaching with you:
People don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care. Honest, most people could care less that you graduated from some prestigious university or received some special award in your field. Before people can truly be ready to learn, they need to be able to trust that who they are learning from truly cares, is passionate about their field, and wholeheartedly believes in what they say. They don’t just talk the talk, they actually walk the walk too!
Bring snacks! People cannot learn when their stomachs are growling. Our most basic needs need to be met in order for our brains to be ready for learning. Food is always a way to build community- just look at how many discussions and conversations happened during a meal in the Bible. Grownups crave snacks just as much as those preschoolers do. Bring those healthy snacks to your next work meeting and prove me wrong!
Injecting laughter into your lesson is one of the best ways to teach. Laughter breaks down walls, calms all nerves, opens students up, and brings us all back down to earth. There are so many mental benefits of laughter, look it up. Using laughter as a tool in your teaching will help your minions or adults refocus, reengage, and absorb more content.
Be patient with them and even more patient with yourself. Most learning doesn’t happen overnight. Learning requires muscle and brain memory, a ton of repetition, and many different teaching styles to help learners grasp concepts. We need to be patient with the process, not stress ourselves out too much, and know that we all “pop” at different times (popcorn kernels don’t all pop at the same time, why should we expect that of our students)?
Know what you do does make a difference! The fruit of your efforts are often not realized or seen for months if not years to come. Sometimes we have “those” students (young and old) that just don’t seem to get it, require every drop of patience we can offer, and we lose all hope. Only to find out months or years later that you were their favorite teacher, or that you inspired them, or helped them to achieve something they thought was impossible.
In sum, we have to leave our pride, our accolades, and many of our expectations at the door. We are all continuous teachers and learners. One of the very best teachers we can strive to be more like is Jesus.
Let’s stop trying so hard, stressing, or losing our cool over something that will eventually come. Let’s be gentle, tender hearted, kind, and humble ourselves. I believe that the more we teach in these ways, the more light and joy we will bring to the people and world around us. And that, at the end of the day, is something we can truly hang our hats on!