I’m a slashie.
I’m an actor/filmmaker/teacher/entrepreneur.
I can’t imagine my life without any of these elements. I teach filmmaking and screen acting and feel like no matter where I end up in life I’d like to continue to teach in some capacity. My filmmaking business has grown organically and I’m currently building a database of freelancers whom I can offer work to. I’m moving from being a self-sufficient freelancer to a producer/manager role and I want to be the best boss that I can possibly be. Whilst I have my ‘Leadership in Organisations’ unit pencilled in for semester 2 of my Master of Commerce next year, I’m currently relying on reading books and blogs, role models and most importantly my past experiences to guide me. So this is really a public note to self about what I’ve learned from teaching that I’m promising myself I will bring to my business.
1) Treat everyone fairly by treating them differently.
Different students think and learn differently. They all process information in a different way and need to see, hear or experience something different for the penny to drop. As a student I used to hate it when I would ask a teacher to clarify something because I didn’t understand and they would say the same thing… but louder. The best way to be understood is to communicate in a way that is suited to the individual.
2) Context is important.
When my students understand the context of the material they’re learning, they understand the importance of the information and pay more attention. Irrelevant material is boring material.
3) Step in when things are stuck and step away when things are flowing.
I find it natural to stay comfortable and avoid conflict and brain blocks. When my students are stuck for ideas I step in and act as provocateur, throwing questions, stimulus, what ifs and even restrictions to get them on track. Usually this unsticks them and it’s a joy to watch their dreary faces light up with inspiration. It’s so hard to step away from them once they’re excited and have found the flow again, but it is the perfect time to let them do the work, which is my next point.
4) Let them do the work.
Yes, I can be a control freak. The good thing about teaching is if you’re a control freak, you’ll have a nervous breakdown! I started teaching that way and very quickly learned that though well intentioned, it was exhausting, unsustainable and unhelpful to my students’ learning processes.
I promise to let them do the work. I had an aha moment when I was shown this graph by Neil Churchill (1983/84) in my Strategy, Innovation and Entreprenurship unit. Up until now I have relied on my ‘ability to do’, the green line in the chart… which declines like a ski slope. Time to let go and learn to embrace the pink line which is my ‘ability to delegate’.
5) Treat failure as a step closer to success.
I was extremely lucky to be taught movement by the late Keith Bain at the National Institute of Dramatic Art. He had an uncanny way of making you feel that every ‘failure’ was simply a discovery of something that didn’t work or just wasn’t quite right and therefore actually a step closer to success. It’s a challenge to remember this for myself, but I would love to carry the same spirit of Keith Bain to allow others to feel confident to achieve the very best work possible by helping to minimise their fear of failure.
6) Discipline first, fun later.
I’m lucky enough to teach in institutions where the students want to be there, are hungry to learn and have respect for the teachers. I have become friends with many of my teachers and consider many of my previous students as friends now. I think that has come about from a mutual reverence for the work which has made it easy to be disciplined and get what needs to be done, done. I have no time for pfaffing.
7) Be organised so you can throw it out the window.
Lesson plans are fantastic and necessary, but I’ve found the best classes and most effective learning happens when there is wiggle room to throw out the lesson plan and stay present enough to respond to what the students really need. Give them some autonomy to take responsibility for their own learning. Be open enough to let them inform you of the gaps in their knowledge. They teach me how to teach them.
8) Be honest.
When I am honest every step of the way I give the student the best chance of staying on track and excelling. I try not to criticise for the sake of criticism or conversely praise for the sake of praise. Students have told me that they trust the brutal honesty and know that it’s actually an endorsement and belief in what they can handle and potentially achieve. This is how we can raise the bar.
9) Be empathetic.
The students, like every human on earth, will have challenges in their life whether it be related to their studies or in another area of their life. Some will be willing (at times too willing) to talk to you about them, others will be a closed book but your intuition knows that they are going through a challenging time. When I was in high school my English teacher Mr Daniel (who has now passed) saw that I was going through a challenging time and allowed me to skip an assessment. I was gobsmacked, I asked him what he would do for my mark and he said he would make something up. It reassured me that trying my best was indeed enough and I have taken great comfort from his actions throughout the years. Once again, I would like to carry the same spirit to allow others to achieve the best work possible by reducing some of the pressure they put on themselves.
10) Let people surprise you.
I am constantly surprised by my students work. Sometimes I censor myself when I believe what they’re trying to achieve is unrealistic because I can see how determined and opportunely naive they are. They usually exhaust themselves in the process but almost always get there and when they do they gain an enormous amount of confidence and gratification from doing so. If they don’t get there, then they learn more than they ever would have from succeeding and that in itself is success.
*Note to self…
I’m looking forward to surrounding myself with people who are better than me at what they do. I won’t need to educate them, but I will need to impart information and I hope I will be able to use these lessons to do so effectively and kindly so that we can produce kick arse work together.
