School starts for teachers tomorrow, and I find myself humming “Someone in the Crowd,” a song from the LaLa Land soundtrack, sung by a young actress, hoping to be “discovered.” The chorus lyrics are as follows:
Someone in the crowd could be the one you need to know
The one to finally lift you off the ground.
Someone in the crowd could take you where you wanna go
If you’re the someone ready to be found.
I know exactly why this lyric runs through my mind on this, the last day of summer for me; it’s part of a daydream I’ve always carried in my heart throughout my teaching career. As I head back to the classroom, I still have this fanciful notion that this will be the year my talent, my expertise, my natural rapport with students will be “discovered.” I mean, it could happen. It happened at a school in my very own district. A deserving, unsuspecting elementary teacher was named Michigan’s “Teacher of the Year” just last spring. The photos splashed on social media of the surprise presentation of her award depict my own fanciful musings to a tee. I imagine it would be akin to winning the Publisher’s Clearinghouse Sweepstakes without the giant check, of course. Ah yes, the places my mind can go.
Alas, I’m heading into my golden years as a teacher, and I must face the reality of my situation. I was never supposed to be “discovered.” That wasn’t the plan. Things that get “discovered,” after all, often lose what made them special. The quaint restaurant with the amazing dinner rolls becomes jammed every night with an impossibly long waiting list. The little beach spot, perfect for a quiet afternoon, is ruined by a huge crowd complete with crying children and blaring radios. Think Gold Rush. Nope, I was never meant to be “discovered.” That would’ve spoiled it, for sure. The plan for my journey through this teaching life was destined for a quieter, less flashy path and that, as Robert Frost famously wrote, “… has made all the difference.”
I’ve noticed something quite perplexing about what happens to those teachers who do get “discovered;” they are immediately plucked from the classroom to do “other” work. The work, of course, has benefits for students as the “discovered teachers” often design curriculum or provide training sessions, but they don’t work with kids anymore–generally speaking. What?!?! I would’ve languished quickly without the soul-affirming work with kids.
As it turns out, my “someone(s) in the crowd” were seated in front of me the whole time. They were the ones “waiting to be found” as the song says. I was always meant to be the discoverer not the discovery, My role as the discoverer is to take the time to really look at them, polishing their talents and mining the strengths of each child. My desk drawers and school bags have the little notes that these sweet students have written to me over the years. Without fail, most mention what a great teacher I am. I would contend it wasn’t the teaching that really compelled them to write the heartfelt note. It was my willingness to discover them.
You see, just like me, my students have the desire to be seen and recognized for their potential, talents, and hard work.
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