Sage on the Street

Admit it. You can spot a fellow teacher a mile away. There is something about a teacher's persona that gives us away. What is that quirk that seems to tie us all together? Is it the modest, comfortable clothing and sensible shoes? Is it the exception grammar? Or maybe it's the perpetually exhausted look in our eyes? All are probably true but I'm getting at something much deeper.
I'm talking about "The Big Desk" factor. No matter how noble and caring we are (and we are noble and caring individuals to be sure) we all share a tendency toward control freak-ism. We can't really help it. Even if you go into teaching as an incredibly laid-back, selfless individual, all that time being the one with all the answers, the one making the decisions, and the one who's seen it before and knows what will work best; it gets to us. Not to mention the fact that we spend most of the day as the tallest one in the room! Eventually, it gets under our skin and we have a hard time giving up control in situations outside of the classroom. Have you ever found yourself correcting another adult? How about telling someone who is an expect on something about the subject in which they are an expert? Maybe you've told a spouse the best route to take while driving or the "correct" method for doing something around the house? Whether you want to admit it or not, if you've been teaching more than a year or two, I guarantee you're guilty of it. Maybe your loved ones love you too much to call you on it, but I challenge you to watch yourself.
A friend of mine, Darci, works at a pet shop specializing in fish. Her parents own it and she's worked there since childhood. In her early twenties, she was extremely knowledgeable when it came to marine life and aquariums. One day she was complaining to me about a customer she had seen that day. Darci said she could tell this woman was a teacher and I asked how. She explained that the woman had challenged her every step of the sale. This woman proceeded to explain why neon tetras glow to Darci and defied her advice about tank care because the tank in her classroom never had those problems. My fish-loving friend begged me never to become that woman.
Most of the world respects what we do. Most admire it as something they themselves couldn't do. However, there is a percentage of the world that recognizes us by this characteristic. This condescending, know-it-all who has a hard time sharing the stage. It's been about seven years since Darci told me about that woman and shared her perception of teachers with me. Unfortunately, the further I've gotten into my career, the more solidified her point is in my mind; not by anything others have done, but by my own tendencies toward taking a dominant position. I feel it in my own life at times...Darci was right.
I am thankful for those few strong mentors in my life that maybe have those same tendencies but somehow, they manage to demonstrate a humble wisdom with their daily lives. I suppose one way to overcome that obnoxious, arrogant attitude is by constant reflection and awareness. The best way is probably to stop and remember that there is One who really does know all and it I am not Him. I guess that's really all it takes to stay humble...although spilling half of my morning coffee on my sweater helps too.