I had a conversation with one of my nephews about a year ago. It was a nice check-in that lasted about an hour. At the end of it, he thanked me for the conversation and said that he appreciated the wisdom that I shared with him. I’ve never been so clear that wisdom has little to do with what’s spoken and much to do with what’s heard.
So I thanked him for being so open and engaged that he saw insights for himself in the conversation.
Now let’s look at it through the teacher-student lens:
I like talking with students about their favorite teacher. Who’s your favorite teacher this semester? Why? Who’s your favorite teacher of all time? Why?
Most of us can come up with an answer or two pretty quickly; these great teachers just stand out to us. They made an impact on us. And, it’s likely that there were students in the exact same class who can barely even remember the teacher or who certainly wouldn’t call this teacher their favorite. So what’s the difference?
The difference is you.
As Parker Palmer suggests in The Courage to Teach, the initial question is, What made your teacher great? The second question, though, opens a different door: What was it about you that allowed great teaching to happen?
Spend a couple minutes yourself and think about one of your favorite teachers. What made that teacher great? What was it about you that allowed great teaching to happen?
Education (in school) happens within the context of a student-teacher relationship. The nature of this relationship affects the learning that can occur.
This sounds a lot like the rest of life too, doesn’t it? Our relationships affect our experience, our effectiveness, and our enjoyment. And all your relationships require at least two people, one of whom is always you...
What is it about the people around you that will allow you to thrive today?
What is it about you that will allow those relationships to thrive today?
Have a lovely day. ❤️
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