The Joy of Being
By Bruce J. Stewart
Eckhart Tolle in his book Practicing the Power of Now, writes, “As soon as you honor the present moment, all unhappiness and struggle dissolve, and life begins to flow with joy and ease. When you act out of present-moment awareness, whatever you do becomes imbued with a sense of quality, care, and love – even the most simple action.”
Mother Teresa was quoted as saying, “We cannot all do great things. But we can do small things with great love.”
Teaching should bring joy and happiness to your students and to yourself. Fear and resentment are negative emotions that cultivate anxiety and uneasiness within your students and your classroom. Many students and teachers have grown to accept both fear and resentment as a characteristic of education that must be accepted. However, both of these emotions cannot provide true and lasting inspiration for teachers and students.
Teaching and learning have a synergistic relationship in which the giving and receiving in a classroom is reciprocal. At the end of the day, a teacher will have learned as much or perhaps more than their students. Students will have acquired knowledge, and most importantly have an understanding of its meaning, especially its relevance to the world and to their community.
Teachers, by remaining in the present moment during instruction, are void of negative thoughts. Full attention to the present moment is an understanding and acceptance that we as educators are opening our minds and hearts to our students. This does not make us vulnerable, rather it makes us more aware of our students, their emotions, and how to serve them. Our mind’s stillness expresses our sincerity and the joy we want to share with our students.
How do we know if we are NOT in the present moment?
The most obvious thought that can slip into our consciousness is, “If only that student wasn’t in my class, then I could really teach.” Change that particular thought to, “Today’s the day. Today’s the day ‘that student’ will transform his thoughts.” Write “Today’s the day!” in big letters on your lesson plan and highlight it. You will give these three words the power they deserve.
Another, thought that is incongruous with being in the present moment is, “If only. . .” This thought is trying to convince us that there is a reason why I cannot be successful. It gives power to us to be complacent because we believe something is out of our control. Change the internal dialogue to, “What do I need to do, to study, or who can I collaborate with to help solve the problem.” Believe that your imagination and creativity can only enter your consciousness with a positive internal dialogue. Be open, then expect the solution to appear.
By being in the present moment, even the disruptions and interruptions that once plagued you are now opportunities. For example, a simple response such as, “Sabyn, (‘that student’) could you please visit with me after school? I believe that we can really help each other.” This request offered with sincerity shows respect and trust. It does not demean Sabyn, does not disrupt the class, and demonstrates to all the students that you are teaching with your heart. “When given the choice between being right and being kind, choose kind.” -Dr. Wayne Dyer.
If this advice sounds trite or you are thinking “this will never work with my students,” before discarding it, try it for a few days. If your methods have been ineffective, try a positive approach; it’s likely to surprise you.