“Those who can’t, teach.”
We have heard that phrase, which originally came from George Bernard Shaw, used many times throughout the years. However as we continue to evolve into a better world, hopefully, of constant learning, the need for evocative teaching is needed more than ever.
We are also entering into a fall like no other, where the need for people who can teach may be needed more than ever almost on every level. I am asked almost weekly by people who have moved on in their careers about teaching…how does it work, how does one get involved, what are the skills needed? I have been blessed in two areas around teaching.
I come from a long family of teachers.
I was lucky to be able to get in on a teaching opportunity early on in my career, and have been able to keep evolving a unique platform as a way to help young people learn, and to help further my scope of knowledge.
I teach more to learn and share experiences than for any type of personal gain, which makes it much more gratifying.
Lastly, I have been lucky enough to have been around so many teachers…many of whom are coaches at every level…from Little League through the highest levels of sport…who had their own style and their own passion to achieve, and I have been able to be a repository of all of their best practices that I can hopefully pass on to others.
I don’t teach for the money or for the notoriety, it much more of a learning tool for ME than it is for anyone else, and my hope is that over the years as I have LEARNED to be a better teacher, I have been able to impact the loves of those around me for the positive.
I raise this today because of the world we are in right now, and because of the coming confluence of forces that I believe is creating an opportunity for those looking for it. This fall there will be thousands of people, from small children to parents to the unemployed, in what I will call educational chaos due to the pandemic and the gathering storm of remote learning. School systems are trying to adapt, parents are stressed, kids are bored and anxious and there is a growing fear that learning at least in this country, is not adapting to the climate anywhere near as best as it can.
Then we have the large boiling pot of unemployment, and people, from recent grads to senior leaders, with time, and experience and knowledge and passion on their hands.
So how does all this tie together?
There are large groups, especially in suburban areas, of parents LOOKING FOR HELP this fall to instruct their kids in subjects simple or complex. There are not enough teachers or tutors to fill that void, and the entrepreneurial can look within and see what skills he/she has…and we all have them, to help solve this problem locally, regionally and maybe nationally. We have the means of social media channels and groups to reach out and enunciate what skills you have…”I’m really good at sales,” “I was an English major,” “I’m great at math,” “I love history and writing,” and on and on…and I have the time to help young people…as a teacher.
By the way I don’t think this is a volunteer opportunity either. It is a way to grow or supplement income and a way to help parents who need to get back to work do just that. It’s not babysitting, its sharing of knowledge with small groups, and helping younger people move ahead, which is what we all should be doing right?
Now maybe you sit there and say you don’t have skills or patience. BS. We all have basic skills if we have made it through college, through a career and on to other areas of life. I’m not saying you can force feed learning of some complex subjects, but in many ways the need is to help organize, check and solve problems using tools that exist already. Maybe some pieces are reinventing a wheel, but most I would bet are just helping put piece in place.
And for those always asking about teaching, who knows where it will lead while you are in a bit of a hiatus. Maybe you will find a calling you didn’t know you had; maybe you will get a chance to meet parents or guardians of kids who might help you advance a dormant or stagnated career; maybe you will learn things you were not aware of, or a point of view you had not considered. If you have the willingness, there is certainly going to be a need.
That being said, teaching on any level is not for everyone. It takes patience, listening and an ability to adapt to those in front of you, not having them adapt to you. They are the client, no matter what status you have achieved.
However for those who have time…have a willingness and interest…and are looking for a challenge, the time to teach, to tutor, to mentor…has never been greater than this fall. It’s a toe dip many should try.
Those who can’t, teach, Mr. Shaw? I disagree. Those can, are actually the best and most needed people we have.
