Teachers come with a lot of wishes for their students.
They can wish for students to realize the dreams they themselves haven’t. They can wish for students to achieve success and so reflect back on them as teachers. They can wish for students to matriculate to particular schools, particular majors, particular careers. They can wish for students to change their philosophies to reflect their own, to change their voices to reflect their own, to change themselves in any number of ways.
Here’s what I remind myself over and over again. (It needs reminding, because projecting onto your students is perfectly natural.)
My only wish for my students is to become the most them they can. I’m in the business of encouraging my students to explore as much as they can, discover what really excites them, and do more of that.
If a student loves Barbershop, then I want them to love Barbershop. If a student wants to end their schooling after community college, even if they’d be a star in grad school, then I want them to do that.
I might not know how to get you there. I might not love what you love. I might disagree with you on things. But if it’s what makes you come alive, then I want it for you.
Be the most you you can be. I’ll be there to support you.
Okay, there’s one catch. If you want to stop singing for the rest of your life, and you’re a student of mine, I have a strong objection.