I Am A Teacher. An Artist
“Why do you go away? So that you can come back. So that you can see the place you came from with new eyes and extra colors. And the people there see you differently, too. Coming back to where you started is not the same as never leaving.” ― Terry Pratchett
It has been a few weeks since the time when we were reflecting upon the past year — our achievements, our mistakes and beliefs. Now, already in a new year, I come back again thinking about what I want from the time that will come. Yet, I don’t have any new year’s resolutions, really, because first of all, there is never a clear line between what was and what will be, and secondly, because I would probably fail from the beginning if I made resolutions. It’s better to build on what’s been learned.
Over the last two years or so I’ve learned a lot about myself. I’ve learned how important it is to respect myself and also a thing or two about the spiritual journey I’m on. I’ve learned it all starts here and now, and that it is about change and respect. Besides that, I’ve learned that change is constant and that you can’t give what you don’t have.
But of course I have new goals and dreams that come from what I have learned, and most of all, I wish to work on the way to build all that I have learned so far into practice. That could be my goal then – to be more organized but not giving up what I need to do in order to stay true to myself — to let go of my fears and situations that stop me from doing the things I can in a way I really want to do them.
What would you think if I said, “I am a teacher – an artist
What? You don’t think we, teachers, are artists? I will believe you if you say you are an artist, too! And I would even hug you in joy because I know what that means. It means you trust yourself and love yourself and that you have learned to pass on that love and respect.
“What is an artist?” I asked a friend recently. Who is an artist?
I don’t think an artist is necessarily a painter, a poet or an actor. These are the most common examples, I guess, but certainly there are more possibilities. An artist could simply be someone who understands feelings and who has a way or two to express and work with those feelings. An artist could be a teacher who is true and authentic in his or her teaching. An artist could be a student who rebels not to prove the teacher wrong but to be heard. If you think of yourself as an artist, then as an artist you don’t want your students to mindlessly follow your instructions. As an artist you want others to grow into artists as well. As an artist, you don’t want to hide yourself behind what you don’t even understand just because others say they do. Do you remember? You can’t give what you don’t have. Give what you do have. Don’t be afraid. Aim at being an artist!
With this aim in mind, I would like to be even more present in the classroom this year — with less talking time for me and more talking time for my students. I would like to understand what it really means to teach with your mouth shut, what it really means to teach unplugged – but not by doing activities and techniques in a certain way, but by truly accepting and working with the people who are there. . I want to understand myself more. I want to put more of me into my work as I work to understand others more and see them as the artists they are. This is how I want to do my work better this New Year
