“What I’d like to know seems simple, but might require some deep thought. What did you learn in school that you still carry with you today? I’m not asking specifically about my classes. I’d like to know what lessons (no matter the subject) that have stuck with you all these years. Those lessons can be specific like the Pythagorean Theorem or applications of Newton’s Laws. Or you can address broader things like how to speak to different audiences. Just wondering. Thanks.”
I sent this question out on social media in late December, 2020. I was going to ask this of my former students, but decided it might be neat to ask everyone I knew. We were still in full pandemic mode so Christmas was not filled with as many people. While the Presidential election was over, it wasn’t really. I was exhausted from a semester of hybrid teaching my high school classes. One of my brothers was going through kidney failure and would not survive another month. To say I was at my nadir would be an understatement.
And Nadir is such a wonderful word. Astronomically, it is the point directly below you. Your zenith is directly above, your nadir is the opposite. Colloquially it is your lowest point. That’s how I felt. I was tired of all that was going on and feeling just plain down. And, I was tired of seeing other people complain about these things through social media. I knew that in reality I am blessed with so many wonderful people in my life that I had nothing to really feel bad about. But I did. So I reached out in the hope that other people’s observations would lift my spirits a little.
And they certainly did! The responses started coming in just minutes after I posted my question. And, they didn’t stop for over a week. I received answers from former students, colleagues, family members, peers, friends (current and grade school), and other acquaintances. By the end, I had 133 people contribute. I felt like this hit a nerve with many people. People wanted to share positive, happy things they carried from high school.
The joy I got from reading people’s responses was greater than I could have imagined. Most everyone took this seriously, many also with a touch of humor. Some spoke of things I taught them. Others spoke of a teacher they had that inspired them. While others focused on life lessons you pick up in the classroom. I enjoyed going through each and responding to them so much that I decided to share them with you.
This is a collection of the responses I got from co-workers, former students, and family members … all friends. In each case I have included the person’s response, my response to them, and then I expand on one or two of the topics. Some of the essays speak directly to the response while others triggered a thought in me and I just went with it. In other words, some may meander a bit from the assumed topic. The discussions are sometimes pedagogical, sometimes philosophical, sometimes scientific, and many times autobiographical. You will see common themes come up time and again.
I hope that you enjoy reading these musings as much as I did reading and writing them. And remember, if you have half as much fun reading them as I did writing … I had twice as much fun as you!
The piece reflects on the challenges and complexities of teaching, emphasizing that effective teaching requires more than just rapport; it involves mastery of the subject, continuous learning, and the ability to evolve lessons based on experience and feedback. Read.