Open Doors

Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, in a wonderful and thought-provoking Ted Talk, makes the point that culture is composed of many, many overlapping stories.  In fact, the title of her speech is “The Danger of the Single Story.”  Adichie argues that if we listen to only the single story about a person, we run the risk of misunderstanding.

The past few weeks Della has been collecting the door signs that you are creating.  Occasionally, I have paged through these documents. It is a beautiful thing to look through your pictures, the bits of information you chose to include about yourselves, and the quotes that relate to you in some way.  In doing so, I have been reminded that Adichie is absolutely correct.    

Certainly, all of us are educators, but that is only a single story.  These door signs provide a glimpse of other possible narratives about our lives.  Look at the examples below which were gleaned from your submissions.  Take a moment to imagine some of the backstories that led to these statements.  Then enjoy trying to guess which teachers chose to include these details about their lives.

• I am a Crossfit Competitive Athlete and Level 1 Instructor.
• I enjoy fixing vintage bicycles, playing old country music, and watching black and white Samurai movies.
• I participate in geocaching and prepare for the zombie apocalypse.
• I spend time metal detecting and recovering lost artifacts.
• I played the clarinet and was a drum major in high school.
• I enjoy acting in musicals and plays.
• I enjoy herding cats and defeating socialism wherever it rears its ugly head.
• I create crafts I see on Pinterest.
• I sing, play guitar and bass, and record music.  (Not a music teacher!)
• I’m learning to swing dance.

Of course, this list only scratches the surface.  To get the full picture would take more time and conversation.  If we had these discussions, more stories would emerge and individual threads of dialogue would begin to weave a rich tapestry, creating a more vivid picture of the individuals.

A Door Opens Both Ways

Perhaps these signs will open the door to conversations that enable students to see past the single story of you as “teacher.”  Of course, conversations like this work both ways.  This past week I have heard of student stories about the joys of academic accomplishments, the sadness of losing a loved one, the fear of rejection, and of an incredible act of kindness from a teacher.  I know that many of you have had similar experiences this week.  In the give and take of these conversations, we have the opportunity to move beyond our single stories and deepen our understanding and appreciation of each other.

Near the end of her Ted Talk, Adichie says, “I’ve always felt that it is impossible to engage properly with a place or a person without engaging in all of the stories of that place and that person.  The consequence of a single story is this: It robs people of dignity.  It makes our recognition of our equal humanity difficult.  It emphasizes how we are different rather than how we are similar.”

Our door signs might be a good reminder that we are much more than a single story.  They also can be a daily reminder to us that we should find ways to hear the multiple narratives of our students.

Have a great week, HSE.  Tell your stories and listen to others.  It is an important part of what we do and who we are. 

Phil

Kudos this week to all of the students and staff involved in the Fall Play.  The production, according to all accounts, was frighteningly good.

If you are interested, this is the link to Adichie’s Ted Talk: Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie: The Danger of the Single Story