Keep Trying

Students can learn from watching their teachers try, fail, and try again.

You’d think that consistency in one place would imply consistency in another.

But even though I write every day here, with no gaps in close to 9 years, I am utterly unreliable in my weekly notes to my ensembles.

I believe in the value of “Dear People” letters. I have the technology set up. I even work to commit myself – by telling the students and theoretically setting aside specific time.

It doesn’t work, at least consistently. I am hit or miss in writing them and posting them, much to my own disappointment. But I keep trying. I keep promising my students I’ll get better at it, and I keep writing them as often as I can.

I think it’s of value for students to see an educator trying. So often we view educators as arbiters of knowledge, with no gaps; so often we as educators try to present ourselves in exactly that way.

But seeing a leader try, fail, and try again – in small or large ways – can help students to understand that they can keep trying, too.

Inconsistency is part of the process. I’ll keep trying. I hope you do, too.