Q&A - "This above all; to thine own self be true." -Shakespeare

If you were to teach as a career, what would you teach?

I'm all about education... especially for children. (I believe children are our future... a la Whitney Houston and all that).

I've tutored kids before and have been a junior counselor for a few days at a Summer Camp through my friend's church youth group. And I've also trained enough people in previous jobs. Does that count?

But to teach? As a profession?

My passion is writing so I've never really thought about what I would do otherwise. Teaching... my first thoughts lean toward books, literature, and/or writing. Being me, I would feel my writing is rubbish so I wouldn't feel comfortable with that.

Literature perhaps.

But I would imagine myself being the kind of teacher that got along with her students, The kind of teacher that really related with them - to them - and made them think and want to be better people and in life.

Teachers that come to mind are Barbara Streisand from the movie "The Mirror Has Two Faces." She's a Columbia University English Lit professor, and there's a lecture scene that I really enjoy from the film where she's talking about archetypes and falling in love. Her students are listening intently to everything she is saying, and her relationship with them is on a level that not only has their attention, but is engaging them into thinking... into conversation... into learning something.

Another teacher from film that comes to mind is Robin Williams from "Dead Poets Society" who plays John Keating. Now really any scene in this film is amazing - especially the ones with Williams ripping the intro to their textbooks called Understanding Poetry, Carpe Diem Lecture, Conformity in the courtyard, and O Captain, My Captain. (Man, that final scene kills me... much as Neil Perry's turn at Shakespeare and the end to his story.

Again, the connection between him and his students... the boys challenged to be more than they were brought up to be, to try new things, to be who they really want to be as well as learn the appreciation of great literature.

Oh that movie is SO good.

And let's not forget Sean from "Good Will Hunting" - Your move chief... best scene ever!)
in them.

The relationship Sean and Will have... how Sean could relate, how Will learned to trust him, how they had mutual respect for each other not as doctor/patient but more as friends.

Ugh, that movie is so extremely good, too.

Ohhh... Kevin Kline from "The Emperor's Club." How will history remember you? And Stupid lasts forever.

And there's also Julia Roberts from "Mona Lisa Smile" - Demanding excellence...

Okay, I'm veering off track. My media whoreness has taken hold, and instead of answering the teaching question, I'm talking about movies with teachers...

Back to the question.

So this is a hypothetical question that lends the suspension of belief (or disbelief) that I've done the schooling and am qualified to teach... well... anything. But my brain can't wrap around that 'what-if' scenario.

What I feel I do know is being a good person. Being myself and doing what I love and what makes me happy. And sadly I don't see a lot of that in the world.

So aside from the types of teachers I've liked and loved (shout-outs to Mrs. Vrimm at Live Oak *RIP* and Mr. Sak at Clovis West), I would want to show people that it's okay to be themselves, to be strong in who they are and not to let anyone make them feel less than they are because of what or who they like and why they do. I'd want to instill in them that it's okay to be an individual - to be a good person without hurting themselves or others - to be happy... and to spread that happy.

There's more to it than that, but I'm sure you get the general idea.

Is there a teaching title for that?

Later my lovelies.

Have Goodness!
Rae