the intensity of stretching
I suppose I should do an introductory post for those who don't know who I am, but that's so boring. I will throw some bits and pieces about me within this post because really the point of the blog is not me.
It is day one of my first ever 100 day project. What is this project/how did I learn about it? Two amazing people. The first is a student in my first block class whose bouncy curly hair I am immensely jealous of and spirit mirrors my own. Bouncy-haired student often shares creative resources with me because we like to discuss the topic of entrepreneurship in between my lecturing and her completion of assignments or after school when she drops by to share a new youtube video, organize my supplies, or get help on homework assignments
This past week, while discussing my commute she excitedly suggests a podcast she just KNOWS I will love because "girl, I know you." Her laughter fills my otherwise empty room as her fingers quickly move across her phone to pull up another webpage of stationary I just must see for aesthetic inspiration. I incorrectly type in the name of this "amazing" podcast on my phone, she corrects me impatiently (we are on that level) and finally I pull up "Elise Gets Crafty" to discover episode 119: "On Starting the 100 Day Project". Download episode. She flashes her phone screen at me rambling about the metallic overlay of the products before moving back down to the floor and continuing to organize my paper into individual color stacks (something she has been begging to do for weeks).
Once in the car, I play episode 119 and begin my journey home. Elise is chatting with designer Allie Lehman about their previous 100 day projects and revealing their new 100 day project ideas. The two girls sound like me: open-minded, thrivers in challenges, confident, creative, and fearless. I wanted to call them and get more information on their day to day routines on fostering their creativity, but alas, they are both unlisted. Jk, I didn't look. I would totally grab a coffee with either of them though.
Throughout their reflection and expectations of their upcoming projects, a major message was to select something that you are interested in, but is not too restrictive or too broad. Suddenly, I felt like my 152 students when I give an open-topic project and they stare at me like it's a trick. However, I knew that with a little time I would come to realize what would work best for me in this new endeavor I was certain I was going to do and had decided after listening to maybe the first 10 minutes of the podcast. Is that normal? I am not sure; I do know that I am confrontational and that often transfers over into my decision-making process.
A few hours and a handful of good and trash ideas later, I discovered my 100 day project: yoga + reflective blog.
If you've never participated in yoga, the beginning of any class hones in on your breathing and self-examining the state of your body: any tension? - your breath: quick and choppy or slow and steady? - your mind: cluttered or clear? As the meditative music hums, we move from starting position into some stretching poses. One cannot just jump into triangle pose because that is not the point of the class. You must establish your body and your mind for the upcoming activities.
I would not have ever been at 3 Tree Yoga working myself back into yogi shape if I hadn't been stretching my creative understandings and perspectives with my students each and every day this year. My class is not your typical room, or typical style, or typical kids. And I love it. Because I am not your typical teacher. Thankfully, I stopped considering myself the only teacher in the room and started listening more than talking to my students. They have stretched my perspective inspiring me to experience new things through their commitment to following my maverick-style lessons, projects, and discussions.
Flexibility comes from not only the desire to stretch, but also the commitment.