I know I'm not perfect. I will never look like Gisele, I will never sing like Celine, and I don't own the most charming restaurant in Berkeley like Alice Waters.
But, this undeniably empirical fact goes flying out the window when it comes to teaching. Oh how I want to be perfect! How I dream of my classroom looking perfect, my lesson being perfect, and my students being perfectly happy to learn as opposed to sitting in my classroom due to a mandated federal law.
What a perfectly tantalizing fruit and a noble pedestal to stand upon, this desire for perfection...or is it? What if it is Eve's forbidden apple, waiting for that first bite to unleash pandora's box of monstrosities? Having chomped a big bite, I found the most controlling behavior unleashed within me, all in the crusade for perfection.
I have to be wary against this pitfall next year because schools aren't perfect, students aren't perfect, and to my own sadness, I am not perfect.
You may never have celine's power house voice or gisele's ridiculous legs but you do have qualities that make you uniquely you.I'm sure all these women have their share of flaws.just on npr yesterday I heard anthony buordain commenting on some of the insensitive things that alice waters often says about the middle and lower class that I know would never come out of your mouth.
ReplyDeleteI admire that you strive for greatness when it comes to the classroom. You won't achieve perfection but then you will have great stories!