There has been no point in my career when I have been “only” a teacher, and I was reminded of that recently.
I shared the following “Run Reflection” on Instagram about honoring the gifts of students and staff.
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If you didn’t watch the video, I discussed how, at an opening day with Bryant Schools in Bryant, Arkansas, they not only started with a student marching band but also a staff choir. Staff from all the schools and different departments gave a fantastic performance, followed by a standing ovation from their colleagues.
As I sat in the audience, I felt literal chills from not only the performance but also the reaction the choir received from their colleagues.
In a way, I was a bit jealous.
There were many times in my career when I felt that the things I did outside of school were unappreciated and sometimes even mocked or belittled. It didn’t happen all the time or even often, but enough that you tend to shrink in the presence of others.
I remember running my first marathon on a Saturday evening and not telling my colleagues about it on Monday. They noticed I struggled to walk, but I just kept to myself. I was nervous that if I shared something I was proud of with others and then was ridiculed about it, I would quit something I was passionate about.
Here is the thing: I have never been “only” a teacher.
At different points in my life, I have been appreciative of many other roles I have played, whether it was a referee, runner, student, parent, spouse, son, etc.
Teaching has only been one part of my identity but has never been my “whole.”
I don’t think you need to share every element of your being with your students and colleagues, but it is much easier to learn from someone you can relate to. In my work on helping others see the opportunity to embrace change, I share the story of my parents, who, as immigrants, saw many opportunities when it would have been easy to focus on obstacles. Do you know who that story often connects with? Immigrants and those who are first-generation children in North America like myself.
The power of a story is often not in seeing the person who is telling it as the main character but in seeing yourself in that same narrative.
“If he could do it, why can’t I?”
Creating a space where we can be proud to share our passions and interests outside of education might not make anyone a better teacher, but it can make you more relatable.
It is beautiful when colleagues celebrate the gifts of those they work with, which will probably inspire others to do more, not less.
