Wake up, teacher.
Posted: February 17, 2012 Filed under: EFL, preparation, reflections | Tags: ELT, fear of failure, imperfection, present moment, professional development, reflection, teacher self, teaching 14 CommentsIt’s happening.
and it’s happening now – there’s no future perfection to wait for. All there is, and all there ever will be, is here and now.
I used to think the real aim of professional development was to wake up the ideal future teaching self that was sleeping inside me. One day, by a process of trial and error, I would allow it to thrive and blossom. I used to think that the present was only a preparation for the future, for the Real Teacher Me that would come later.
One day, perhaps. But not now, not yet.
In some way, it was true. The present moment was, and always should be, seen as a possibility to open up future possibilities, by learning, preparing, trying things out.
However, what I then became to realise was that the ideal teacher self wasn’t something to wait for, nor was it something to save until it was ready.
It was, always has been, there – available in each present moment I lived through.
The present moment is the only real opportunity to be as perfect, as ideal, as we possibly can. There’s no need to wait, no need to hold back for fear of failure. Imperfection is as natural and beautiful in the ideal as it is in a da Vinci painting.
Professional development and perfection are happening right now, hand in hand. There is no universal, one-size-fits all, Ideal Teacher that we should strive to become, and no blueprint for perfection.
By reflecting, observing, learning, contemplating, experiencing, imagining new possibilities, creating, enjoying and doing one’s best, we can be the best we can now.
Professional development is about obtaining, owning, and personalising skills. It’s about learning to use them as only you, I, or each and every other person would use them, each in our own, special way.
Professional development is about opening up to the possibility of being ideal – right now.
Such an inspirational reading..
Thank you Marian!
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Thank you so much, Nihal! What a lovely surprise – it seems that I posted it in the right moment to find you online!
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Loved it! I think this is exactly what I needed to read right now today. Will remember, ” There’s no need to wait, no need to hold back for fear of failure.”
Thanks! :)
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Exactly! :) Glad the post made sense to you and inspired you today, Mike – cheers!
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I couldn’t agree more! “By reflecting, observing, learning, contemplating, experiencing, imagining new possibilities, creating, enjoying and doing one’s best, we can be the best we can now.” Fantastic post! Thank you!
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thanks so much, Josette! Very much appreciate your feedback and such lovely comment.
Edit: Dear visitor and reader, please do visit Josette’s blog Throwing Back Tokens, especially her great post The ‘Don’t Know Mind’ and Teaching on how ceasing to be “control freaks” can free us to become better teachers. Great read!
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Well said, Marian!
All we have got is here and now, indeed.
Keep shipping your art!
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Thanks for stopping by and for your comment, Ivana!
I’m glad to know people like you who do it in their own beautiful way.
Thanks, and likewise! ; )
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[…] Wake up, teacher! by […]
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Loved your posted. So much so I have shared it on my blog for my staff. I am hoping your words will help encourage a few staff as we begin our journey of becoming a BOLD school.
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Thanks again, Bill! And, for anyone reading these comments, please, visit Bill’s blog and read his great post Be BOLD and Be What You Want To See, with inspiring thoughts and links to practical resources on using technology in education.
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Terrific post! Thinking about and even talking about great ideas versus actually putting these ideas into action are two very different things. What are we waiting for? We must do it! We must try it! When we begin to try new ideas we may never teach the old way ever again. Thanks Marian for such a provocative, well-written post!
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Thank you, Shawn! This is exactly what I was trying to put across, so I’m very glad it translates to you, to! I think I’ll start each day by asking myself, as you wrote, What am I waiting for? A good question to remind me that all good things take time and there’s really no need to wait if we’d like to accomplish them. Thanks and all the best!
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[…] I used to think the real aim of professional development was to wake up the ideal future teaching self that was sleeping inside me. Wake up, teacher. « Love, life & language learning […]
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