“When a great ship is in harbor and moored, it is safe, there can be no doubt. But that is not what great ships are built for.” Clarissa Pinkola Estes
Watching student teachers enter the field, take in the challenges of teaching and of the system, I witness their determination. They keep going. They have pictures in their minds of who they can be with and for kids. Their faces often literally shine after they have led a class and…it worked! They experience the joy of being and doing what they are built for.
The most inspiring and effective teacher interns I have seen over the years continue to walk on the edge of risk every time they lead a lesson. Perhaps this keeps them on their toes but I also think it is that they are always on the edge of their comfort and competency. They are always moving toward the horizon of their possibilities in the art and craft of teaching. There is always a little bit of disequilibrium for them—keeping their balance as they meet unpredictable swells in the ocean of kids.
Those who don’t venture into new waters often let the kids and themselves down. They don’t notice that kids are disengaged, off task, not learning. They stay where they are comfortable and don’t look at the actual risk of not reaching their students in meaningful ways for their learning. Their picture of teaching has more to do with what they are doing than what they spark in kids. They may think they in a safe harbor, but it is really only an illusion of safety.
The ocean is unpredictable. Better to be paying attention and clear about your purpose and direction.