Be In The Moment

Teaching is very much a present profession. I read this the other day on Vicki Davis’ CoolCatTeacher blog. A simple phrase with myriad meanings that got me to thinking about being in the present. I am a follower of Thich Nhat Hanh, the Zen Buddhist monk nominated for a Pulitzer prize in 1967 by no less than Martin Luther King, Jr. I have a quote from him on my bathroom shelve that I see each morning, “The foundation of happiness is mindfulness.” Without pulling out the old Sanskrit, mindfulness means in the sense of one’s being in the moment.

So, what does “teaching is a very present profession” mean? It means being totally with the students in mind, body, and spirit. On the first day of school in September, looking out at the 30 or so eyes looking back, I pause briefly to be in the moment. At that moment, more than any other during the school year, I command the center of attention, something that I will not enjoy fully from that day on. The first thing I do is smile. Not just a pressed-lips-in-an-upward-curve look, but a genuine full teeth exposed, on the edge of a laugh, engaging SMILE. Why, because at that moment, we are all equally on the same ground, without baggage, with full trust accounts, awaiting that initial gesture of connectivity.

I read names on the roll, smile, look into the eyes of that specific student, shake his or her hand and ask or say something about them that gives us a connection with one another as well as with the course topic. It may be as simple as, “did you know your surname Smith pronounced in French is smeet?,” or as subversive as asking a question in French to gage their response. That really puts them in the moment. LOL.

Next, I redirect mindfulness to their classmates using a twist on Kagan. I have everyone line up alphabetically. Of course, they always say, “I don’t know everyone here.” To which I reply, “then you need to find out names so you will know where to sit.” Usually, they stroll in the direction of seating from A’s to Z’s. It’s hectic, but totally engaging, and let’s face it, it’s all about engagement, n’est-pas?

From that point on, it is up to each individual to be in the moment in my class. We necessarily move on to the first-day-of-class plan with all the syllabi, classroom expectations, and general housekeeping notes. Those are important, but not connective.

I know every teacher has his or her own particular special moment of engagement on the first day. I encourage you to tell us about those.

School bus art from http://testimonials.epromos.com/school-bus-resized.jpg