This month NBC is celebrating the 50th anniversary of Elvis Presley's 1968 comeback special. The 1968 comeback special was an event designed to reinvigorate Elvis' career. The 1950's were behind him. He had completed a gig in the Army. He was coming off of completing a run of seven years of...well, let's admit it...lackluster, plot less movies featuring him with girls and a guitar. Originally planned as a Christmas special and much to the dislike of Elvis' manager Tom Parker, the special switched to an intimate sit down with Elvis. It would him, a few trusted musicians, and an audience. There were two big numbers and a few stage numbers, but it was all about Elvis getting back to his fans.
I imagine Elvis got in a rut. This man was the King of Rock and Roll. He had a very demanding manager and demanding fans. He was doing things that other people thought were best for him. Some it probably came down to the all mighty dollar, rather than what was best for Elvis or what his fans wanted from him. I imagine Elvis didn't want to fit the mold anymore. He wanted to break free. He wanted to get back to what he knew. And what he knew was music and his fans. He was wiling to try new things, showcase new songs, all with adding that signature swagger and voice. We all get in ruts. We feel like we are doing the same thing over and over again. We may feel limited by the resources we have or don't have. We may feel we are doing things to "please the man" rather than to meet the needs of our kids. We may struggle to find our voice and our niche. It is ok to break free and try new things. I have to say it....it is ok to teach for 20 years...just don't teach the same year 20 times. Try new things. Push yourself. Push your students. Try that thing you have second guessed. It doesn't work? Good. Now you know. Now you found one way NOT to do it...try another way to do. Get to know your audience and play to their needs. Go back to why you got into the the business in the first place. It is about the kids. It is about making a difference. It is about finding the best in everyone in your classroom...including you. Take the time to watch the NBC celebration of the '68 Comeback Special on February 17th. Perhaps remembering what the King of Rock and Roll did to re-invent himself will inspire you to make your comeback from this break and snow craziness memorable.
As a teacher, we have our feet stuck in two worlds. One foot is planted in the world of education. We see changes in curriculum, standards, and trends come and go every year. We try to get our hands on the best practices to reach students. We research and seek the guidance of fellow teachers to solve problems. We can experience so much change in one year. We are constantly asked to adapt and stretch. One foot is also planted in the world of parents. For some of us, we are parents. For others, that time has not come yet. No matter your status here, you have experience with parents and parenting. We have seen changes here too. We see examples of different parenting styles. We see the different outcomes these styles can have on students. Here is where our job gets tough...we often have to take on the role of parents. We often have to help students see the things their parents have modeled to them, may not be the best way to handle a situation. Here is where a parent's job gets tough...you often fighting so many influences that bombard your child. You often are put in a position where it is easier to say yes than to say no. Today was a day when I had to do something tough as a parent and I had to watch a parent do something that was tough for their child. Both weigh heavy on my mind. Both are situations where I could be judged in my roles. But I think in both situations, we both did what we felt was right for our kids. I have taken what I have experienced as a teacher and administrator to help me parent (along with what my own parents did). I also take those experiences to help guide our students and parents along this journey. When we work together, we can often do great things. Perhaps the Polar Vortex sucked all the fun out of me. Perhaps it is a just a day where I realize that we both have tough jobs and these two world overlap so much. As educators, we need to work with parents. We need to love those kids when they are here and want the best for them. As parents, we need to work with the teachers. We need to love our kids and want the best for them. We both need to be tough on our kids. We both need to be fair. We both need to gain the trust of our kids. We both need to know that is a tough job...but one that is rewarding.
