In my high school, there was a statement over the entrance way that read, “Learn not for school, but for life.”  I think the best gift of being an educator is that we have the ability to learn from every student, every peer, every day.  I know that is a journey that we can all choose, whether or not we are in the teaching business or not, but it sure makes it nice when we have the opportunity to practice it everyday.

In the past year, I decided to begin taking drawing lessons. It’s something I have always wanted to do but have told myself that I have no talent whatsoever.  I undertook this bold act of courage (in my mind) with encouragement from some of my students.  In my psychology classes, I have students hand in a paragraph or two of feedback after each class.  It’s a way for me to have a private dialogue with each one.  I try to keep it focused on topics we are covering that day, but often students share some amazing things with me.  Topics have spanned from asking amazing questions to some deep heartfelt topics.

One student in particular would create the most amazing art on her paper.  Call it doodling, but I treasured each one.  Instead of writing a response she would draw a scene, for instance B.F. Skinner hugging his rats and his daughter.  Another favorite was of the two hemispheres of the brain having coffee together.  I would write on her paper how much I admired and envied her talent and creativity.  I even confessed that it was a secret dream I had that I would some day be able to draw.   I would often respond back with my very artistic ‘stick people.’  This student constantly encouraged me to take an art class because as she put it, “it just takes practice, just like you tell us.”

The next semester I found myself in a drawing class and feeling so out of my comfort zone that it was all I could do to not leave.  Here I was, a student again.  Not just a regular student, but what a social work student might feel like in a calculus class.  Class after class, I found it more and more difficult to produce the homework assignments.  I would look at everyone else’s work and feel horribly inadequate.

Finally, I pulled my instructor aside and explained to her the fight I was having.  I explained that I feel so out of my element and that I don’t belong in this class.  I compare my work to others and feel that I am wasting her time. Her words were like gold to me.  She stated emphatically, “There are no art police!”  She went on to say that it’s all a process and learning takes place in lots of ways.  She told me to give myself permission to draw badly, but just keep working at it.  It took the weight of the world off of my shoulders.  I have applied this to many areas of my life, including running which I always wanted to think of myself as a runner.  I finished a half marathon last year, which wasn’t pretty.  But I finished.  I continue to draw. Some of the drawings are descent, a lot of them not so great. But most importantly, I now use this as a teaching technique that I hope helps my students.  Keep trying.  We get better at everything with practice, even learning.

I still see my original student on campus and have the opportunity to show each other our work.   It always ends with laughter and hugs.  She has helped me to keep learning for life, not just for school.