The product of a solved dilemma is a choice. Unless you just got the $250,000 question correct on Who Wants to be a Millionaire or something along those lines, there is really no way to know if the right choice is ever made. So we can only do one thing once our minds have been made and we've cooked up our favorite solution: Lean into it and hope for the best.
Lately I've struggled with something many educators have debated over in the past. Scholars have resiliently examined whether or not the concepts of educate and activate can ever exist in the same classroom.
As a result of some intense reading and research that I've been doing for one of my classes, my mind has conceived a tiny man who likes to drill me with questions about my future vocation. Hundreds of pages about sweat shops, environmental damage caused by a generation dependent upon convenience, and the ignorance of mankind has left the little man in my head begging for the answer to two questions: How can I become an activist and a teacher at the same time? And are my priorities really where they should be?
Specifically, I wonder how the plan I've laid out for myself (graduating from Penn State, maintaining my job as a swim coach, pursuing a teaching career) will help the world. I wonder how teaching about Mark Twain or how to swim the breaststroke the right way will ever help to build community.
In other words, I'm faced with a dilemma. When I can't decide whether to abandon modern society entirely and visit a third world country or to just appreciate the opportunities that I've been given and shut up, I need to remember that all the things that make me itch about the world cannot be solved with one simple scratch. It all has to start with practical, tiny solutions. And it all starts now.
We can either allow ourselves to be sucked into the intoxicating vacuum of an egocentric, fast-paced society, or we can dismiss it all and create our own lifestyle. I look at the way my life could go in the future, and I see phenomenal opportunities. Instead of trapping myself in the mindset that my job cannot possibly teach the values that I believe in, I embrace what I've chosen to do and decide to suck all the juice out of it that I can get. I decide to lean into it.
I coach a wonderful group of swimmers between the ages of ten and twelve. Instead of just drilling perfect technique into their brains or helping Johnny become the fiercest competitor, I establish a goal for myself to help these swimmers become the happy, loving people that I'd like to see more of in the world.
Today we met each other, and I asked all the swimmers to write down something interesting about themselves and what they really needed from the swim team on a notecard and pass it in. "I've gotten 3 bullzeyes in a row with an airlift pistol, I want to break a record," and "I like to play hide and go seek, I need an escape from school" were some of the answers I received. My favorite was "I have model trains and I can shoot fairly well. I'd like to go to states."
In reflecting on this exercise, I realize that each swimmer--each miniature human--has a specific need and has the potential to accomplish a dream. I am given the opportunity to inspire these children; their successes or failures could very easily reflect my actions. This is an enormous responsibility. How will I choose to inspire them? Will I be the change that I want to see in the world?
The product of a solved dilemma is a choice. I've chosen to form relationships with students and swimmers and inspire. I haven't joined the Peace Corp, and I have been guilty of using too many disposable paper products. What I have to do now is channel all my energy toward helping the world within the limits of the plan that I've laid out for myself; I need to lean into it with enthusiasm and make it happen.
Lately I've struggled with something many educators have debated over in the past. Scholars have resiliently examined whether or not the concepts of educate and activate can ever exist in the same classroom.As a result of some intense reading and research that I've been doing for one of my classes, my mind has conceived a tiny man who likes to drill me with questions about my future vocation. Hundreds of pages about sweat shops, environmental damage caused by a generation dependent upon convenience, and the ignorance of mankind has left the little man in my head begging for the answer to two questions: How can I become an activist and a teacher at the same time? And are my priorities really where they should be?
Specifically, I wonder how the plan I've laid out for myself (graduating from Penn State, maintaining my job as a swim coach, pursuing a teaching career) will help the world. I wonder how teaching about Mark Twain or how to swim the breaststroke the right way will ever help to build community.
In other words, I'm faced with a dilemma. When I can't decide whether to abandon modern society entirely and visit a third world country or to just appreciate the opportunities that I've been given and shut up, I need to remember that all the things that make me itch about the world cannot be solved with one simple scratch. It all has to start with practical, tiny solutions. And it all starts now.
We can either allow ourselves to be sucked into the intoxicating vacuum of an egocentric, fast-paced society, or we can dismiss it all and create our own lifestyle. I look at the way my life could go in the future, and I see phenomenal opportunities. Instead of trapping myself in the mindset that my job cannot possibly teach the values that I believe in, I embrace what I've chosen to do and decide to suck all the juice out of it that I can get. I decide to lean into it.
I coach a wonderful group of swimmers between the ages of ten and twelve. Instead of just drilling perfect technique into their brains or helping Johnny become the fiercest competitor, I establish a goal for myself to help these swimmers become the happy, loving people that I'd like to see more of in the world.
Today we met each other, and I asked all the swimmers to write down something interesting about themselves and what they really needed from the swim team on a notecard and pass it in. "I've gotten 3 bullzeyes in a row with an airlift pistol, I want to break a record," and "I like to play hide and go seek, I need an escape from school" were some of the answers I received. My favorite was "I have model trains and I can shoot fairly well. I'd like to go to states."
In reflecting on this exercise, I realize that each swimmer--each miniature human--has a specific need and has the potential to accomplish a dream. I am given the opportunity to inspire these children; their successes or failures could very easily reflect my actions. This is an enormous responsibility. How will I choose to inspire them? Will I be the change that I want to see in the world? The product of a solved dilemma is a choice. I've chosen to form relationships with students and swimmers and inspire. I haven't joined the Peace Corp, and I have been guilty of using too many disposable paper products. What I have to do now is channel all my energy toward helping the world within the limits of the plan that I've laid out for myself; I need to lean into it with enthusiasm and make it happen.
I love it! I love it! This is so great and such a beautiful answer to an age old dilemma. Love you!
ReplyDeleteI completely agree with your point, with one side note: at some point, everyone doubts that their decision is the right one, and if another choice might be not only better for themselves, but for the world. Like you said Meg, you just need to buckle down and pursue that choice with all your passion and energy. But ONLY if, after soul-searching and whatnot, you believe that it is a worthwhile use of your time and talents (i.e. it is a fulfilling lifestyle). Once that becomes untrue, it is time to cut the cord and start anew. Never waste your life on something that you cannot be proud of / happy with.
ReplyDeleteWhat you are discovering is that a successful teacher/coach eventually persuades their students/athletes to make the choice- for themselves- to also"lean into it" as you say. The whole idea is to be the best person you can be and be passionate about making that choice everyday. This is why joyful, confident,successful people come from all walks of life, all economic situations, all faiths, all personality types--because the choice each of us eventually has to make is to be the best person we can be. That is how you can be and activist and a teacher.
ReplyDelete