3/14/14 – Reposting this to honor the man.
This is not about speed.
It’s about that rush I get when I teach.
Sometimes I say my bones are aching and it helps if I teach. Ever feel that way?
I think it’s maybe being part of the Creation process. When I see the lightbulb coming on in someone else’s understanding, it moves me, thrills me to the bone.
I love teaching, helping understanding to exist where it never did before. It’s not exactly creating, but like a potter with clay, I can mold someone’s mind to fit around new material, new cognizance, or even completely new thoughts that no one has ever realized before.
Research also thrills me. Discovering small things about big events or important people makes me want to teach some more. For instance: Did you know that as a child, Albert Einstein absolutely loved Euclid’s geometry and called it “that holy little algebra book” or that at age 5, he wondered what frozen light would look like? Who ever thinks of THE genius as a small child with wonderment inside his soul? Or that some adult fed him books over most children’s heads, just for the joy of watching that light come on?
See, I just taught you something and opened your thinking more. What a rush!
Sometimes I tutor. One young girl is learning so much about writing, she has developed an enjoyment for the writing process. Seeing the difference in her output this year gives me such excitement. I think of the joy she will bring to her family as her skills increase and she cements them through practice.
I tutor a couple of legal immigrants in their new language, English, and we have fun exchanging culture, too. I explained our local phrase regarding appetites for all foods, as we say, “eat everything that is not nailed to the table.” They laughed enormously at that and now use the saying (in their own language, which is fine with me.) Then they confessed their tiredness of pizza and their longing for cultural dishes they cannot yet prepare. I taught them to say, “I am tired of pizza, but it is better than nothing,” and as they remember their old country and having nothing to eat, they sober and regain resolve to find a way to afford gas for their stove.
And though it is a small spark, I love seeing that light.
The most exciting teaching I do is from the Bible. So much light there. So many people don’t get it, cannot see it. Or don’t want to.
But when I see that light come on, what a rush!
Home's Cool! 
Yes, yes, a zillion times yes! That is exactly how I feel when I teach and when I research! I love it when a student “gets it” when he/she didn’t before…..not for my own ego, but for them! I love, love, love launching those kites…It takes my breath away 🙂
Kites.
I love that.
And it is magnificent to watch them soar into the blue, into the freedom that comes from someone bothering to launch them. It is such a high. Such a high.
Thanks for this.
You are right…It is such a high. I get the same high whenever I give a presentation and it goes well. Oh I just LOVE both those feelings….sigh..I am so glad I get to teach, give presentations, and write. They take me to my happy-very-happy place! It gives me a little hint of what heaven will feel like! 🙂
I forgot about presentations. YES!
And “happy-very-happy place” –oh, I’ve never heard it called that before, but I know where that place is! And my dear husband can see when I am there, and does all he can to get me a few trips to that place now and then. 🙂 We must glow . . . do you glow? How can they tell?
Me too – I love to explain things 🙂
By the way, on Wee Scoops I have just awarded you a “Versatile Blogger Award”.
Thanks so much, my friend! This is very exciting and comes on a day when everything seems to be going just right, so why not this, too, the cherry-on-top!
I will try to live up to this honor.
Kate–you are SO deserving! You already do live up to the honor. Never forget that!
@Kate: Aw-w-w. 🙂
I like it when you can tell that a teacher is enjoying your learning. But it is quite rare as they usually seem less excited to be in the classroom than you are.
Welcome to my site, Yasmine!
And I am so sorry you have disinterested teachers. I know how that can feel, since I have had them, too.
But I’ve had some who were good.
My geometry teacher would draw proofs on the blackboard and then stand back and say, “Ain’t it pertty!” We would laugh and enjoy the class far more just for that one silly comment that lightened the heavy geometry load.
I had one teacher who called everyone “darling” and “sweetheart” and we all believed her, as if she truly loved us. And I think she did.
One more, a very loving and sweet one who once complimented me in a very public and kind way, an English teacher. I credit her with my love for writing.
They’re out there to be had. But too few.
I appreciate the fact that you usually end your post with a spiritual thought, Kathy.
When I first began to homeschool 20 years ago and my eldest read her first word I got that rush too. I screamed and she cried.
The poor dear! This made me laugh. 🙂
I know the feeling, though. I sure do.
I was not aware of those tears you mentioned. It is a puzzle to me how someone else could be!
Does your eldest read okay, now? I mean, she wasn’t too traumatized, was she? 🙂 Hee-hee!
No, she is a most excellent reader now. But it is just too exciting when they learn to read.
I love that idea of being an instrument in His hand. When we all listen to His voice and guidance then, we become His wondrous symphony!
Oh, wow! It’s like in 1 Corinthians 13, where we all must work together or be noise . . . wow.
Oh thank you so much for directing me to this post! It reminds me of one of the zillion reasons I love you so. Your love of teaching, your long suit in nurturing, your zeal for God….sigh. God blessed me with you.
And me with you, dear Kate.
We are two peas in a pod, and it calms me to realize how sane you look. I feel there’s hope for me, yet. 😉
Lovely post! I couldn’t agree more that helping others to learn can give a huge rush.
Here’s another little ‘beginning to read’ story.
I work with struggling young readers, and it is really wonderful to see them progress and begin to enjoy reading, and to believe in themselves as learners. A few days ago I got very excited because for the first time a little group that I work with had been able to put together sentences of their own using slips of paper with words on. I had asked them to find the words for ‘Dad is running.’ One of them (call him John) quite deliberately instead made ‘John is running.’ and grinned at me. That was a real lightbulb moment – not just understanding what he was meant to do, but being creative too!
I got so excited telling another teacher in the staffroom, I hadn’t realised I was blocking everyone else’s way to the kettle! Luckily I work with lovely people, and they knew why I was so excited, and only teased me gently!
Thanks for these amazing comments, Hedwigia, and WELCOME to Home’s Cool!
You know, they say the epitome of language understanding is doing it wrong deliberately for enjoyment. It’s a sign of true arrival. That this child could do the assignment wrong, and grin in orneriness is truly a reason for excitement. 🙂
I love using already-formed answers to boost learning time. A child who does not have to master the writing part in order to display other knowledge will learn faster. I always used small squares of paper with letters written on them to give spelling tests in the first grade. Those tiny ones can spell, but the writing gets in the way. Too much to demonstrate if they have to write also.
You have some amazing photography at your site. I enjoyed the fetid hellebore very much, and the night sky, which I could not recognize, but love to look at, anyway. 🙂
I am glad you enjoyed this post and hope you return often. K