Hi everyone,
I’m the son of a first-grade teacher, and it’s no coincidence that I became a teacher too. My childhood home was full of books, blocks, musical instruments, puzzles, chemistry sets, and history games. Long before “learning climate” was a thing, my mother taught me what I needed to know.
When we were little, Mom would play “the running song,” “the skipping song,” and “the jumping song” on the piano as my twin brother and I bounced around the living room. In the morning, she opened the front door so we could explore the world with our friends. In the evening, we cuddled on the couch as she read stories like “The Happy Lion,” which was my brother’s favorite book, and “The Story of Ferdinand,” which was mine.
My mom kept a loose watch over my schoolwork. Sometimes she asked how my day went or what I’d learned, but she didn’t ask about scores or report cards. She didn’t push, let alone offer incentives to succeed. She trusted us to follow through on commitments, learn from mistakes, and be honest and kind.
She didn’t get everything right. No mother does. I still think she was too strict about bedtime, and I wish she hadn’t prioritized piano lessons over baseball. When I was in college, she was skeptical of my plans to study English instead of biology, but to her credit, she let me decide. She was also flabbergasted when I told her I might want to be a professor instead of a doctor, but she gave me the freedom to choose, which is how I learned I could be both.
Teaching children isn’t that different from teaching adults. Good teachers make learning fun. They adapt to the learner’s interests and needs. They promote curiosity, skill building, and self-sufficiency. I learned these principals from my mother and still use them today.
On this Mother’s Day, I thank my mom for nourishing my love of learning and teaching, and for showing me how to create learning climates that encourage growth, independence, and wonder.
Enjoy your Sunday, everyone, and Happy Mother’s Day to all. Gabrielle, Isabella, and I are taking Heide to Harvest on Hudson for brunch followed by an afternoon bopping around New York City.
Mark
P.S. What I’m reading, watching, and listening to:
- In a World of Addictive Foods, We Need New Weight-Loss Drugs By David A. Kessler
- Gregg Popovich’s Life Lessons By Adam Harris
- Characterization of Research Grant Terminations at the National Institutes of Health By Michael Liu, Kushal T. Kadakia, Vishal R. Patel, and Harlan M. Krumholz.
- No Other Land
- Kitchen Confidential By Anthony Bourdain
- Why Civil Resistance Works By Erica Chenoweth and Maria J. Stephan
- Stop Trying to Raise Successful Kids By Adam Grant and Allison Sweet Grant