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I am participating in the
Slice of Life Story Challenge (SOL20).
All participants are sharing stories about moments in their lives, writing
every day for the month of March 2020.
Thank you, Two Writing Teachers!
Slice of Life Story Challenge (SOL20).
All participants are sharing stories about moments in their lives, writing
every day for the month of March 2020.
Thank you, Two Writing Teachers!
A long walk, and an opportunity to hear a really interesting Ted Talk about creativity. Let me ramble with the gist of what I heard...the opening focused on Keith Jarrett, the jazz musician, and his extraordinary ability to create beautiful improv jazz music...though this music might seem free, surprising, and full of wonder, his planning for performances was really quite detailed and specific, all the way down to what piano he would play (which was the very best of pianos). Somehow, one time, in London, a young girl, of maybe sixteen years of age, convinced Keith Jarrett to play a concert. Some 1400 people were invited. He showed up at the location and found an old, worn piano. He refused to play - no way, no how, this did not meet his requirements. She begged and begged - and, somehow, he gave in and decided to do it.
The concert turned out to be extraordinary - many call it his very best concert ever.
Point being, creativity requires dealing with the unforeseen. Perhaps, dealing with the unpredictable is fundamental to the genius of creativity.
This podcast made me think of this school year of mine. It has been so very, very hard. I have told many people - this year has broken me, this year has turned me upside down. Truly. I decided after six weeks, this was my last year of being a lead teacher.
Yet,
now,
in March,
I see so much beauty. I have the best team ever. We have shaped ourselves into this nice amalgamation of caring, giving, patient, strong, resourceful, experimental, and clear. The preschoolers have become this empathic, loving, kind group, despite diverse and challenging needs. My teaching - broken into rubble at the start of the year, feeling as if I could not do any of the things I have done in the past - well, my teaching has been new and invigorated. I have had so many very special moments.
Maybe I just needed to feel upside down.
It's still my last year of being lead teacher.
Yet,
now,
in March,
I see so much beauty. I have the best team ever. We have shaped ourselves into this nice amalgamation of caring, giving, patient, strong, resourceful, experimental, and clear. The preschoolers have become this empathic, loving, kind group, despite diverse and challenging needs. My teaching - broken into rubble at the start of the year, feeling as if I could not do any of the things I have done in the past - well, my teaching has been new and invigorated. I have had so many very special moments.
Maybe I just needed to feel upside down.
It's still my last year of being lead teacher.
This post reminds me so much of my year last year, but it was one moment that broke me. I had to decide whether or not it would define me and my year. I pressed on, and like your year, it was a wonderful year, culminating in receiving my school’s teacher of the year award and my principal saying the kindest things about me at graduation. I’m reminded about how we can choose how we react to difficult moments in our lives and his those dark moments can turn to light.
ReplyDeleteI’m glad you made it to this space today. I always look forward to reading your posts. I’ve learned much about teaching high school from your preschool teaching experiences.