You are Enough, Just as You Are - May 9, 2009

Today we had our first (1 of 3) training session for teaching in China. Thirty-five or so teachers showed up. Some will go in the July group, others in September. Several people who have taught in China in the past gave presentations and answered questions. One odd little bit of information: No backless shoes are permitted in the classroom (on teachers or students). Now I'm a girl who has always loved backless shoes. When I got home, I look in my closet: 15 pairs of backless shoes; three pairs with backs, including one pair of walking shoes, one pair golf shoes, and one pair general shoes. 

I don't really know anyone in the teaching group. Many are going with a spouse, others with a friend. What most have in common is a good education and extensive teaching and travel experience. One fellow is a full professor in physics at the U of A; one gal is a chemistry professor, one the lead reading teacher for English as a Second Language in the Pima Community College District. Five or six have taught in China one or more times. One person uses technology extensively in teaching (software, videos, graphics, music). I felt like I did the first time I took a golf lesson. 

On the drive home after the training, I sat in my car thinking, "Am I really going to be able to do this." But as the day passed, I felt better. I found myself thinking: I'm not competing with anyone. I don't need to teach the way others do. If singing or deep breathing aren't activities I'm comfortable with, I don't need to do them. 

There was a time in my life when I had a small note taped to my bathroom mirror for several years. The note said: "You are enough. Just as you are."