Teaching is helping others surpass you

Nothing is more gratifying to a teacher than seeing students learn, to understand then use lessons taught to their benefit. True for managers teaching staff, professors teaching students and fathers teaching daughters. Yet one day the teacher must be prepared for the student becoming the master. Like what happened to me this morning.

Some background. I've talked writing and communication to my daughter since she was old enough to listen (and too small to escape). "Every day with you is a lesson," she recently told me. Somewhat chagrined, I asked her if she wanted me to stop. "No. No way," she answered, than with a little pause, "Well, maybe when my friends are around." I said I would (try).

Katya has talked about being on the school Yearbook Committee since she entered middle school (Grades 6-8), and now in Grade 8 she qualifies. Eager (something she must get from her Mom) she was first to put her name on the list, first to get the application form (this is Grade 8?) and hopes this morning to be first to submit a filled-in application form. If points were given for eagerness ...

Anyway, she showed me the form over breakfast, asking for my help. A firm believer in bullet points, I sketched some weasel sentence for her as way to introduce bullets, then went to shower. About 30 minutes later I saw the filled out form, read it and ... WOW! Here it is (click to expand):


This comes from a 12-year old? "Wonderful! Better than I could do," I told her. She demurred quite convincingly (another learned skill?) but I could tell she was pleased.

If you believe in progress the goal of teaching is helping students surpass your abilities. I must be a good teacher then.

So, if one day my writing improves, it could be my daughter ghosting for me. Now if only I could teach her to mow the lawn.