The Most Important Thing

I took this interesting class several years ago called The Skillful Teacher. It was interesting because I couldn't believe that teachers who were actual practiconers of their subjects were actually be required to take a basic methods and strategies course. It seemed to me that most of what was taught should have been intrinsic to being a good teacher. However, It refreshed my memory to some cool and interesting techniques after being out of the classroom for several years. It also introduced me to a few strategies that I had never used. This was also helpful.

My favorite summarizer that we learned was called "The Most Important Thing". During a lesson, the teacher expresses the most important fact about a particular subject. The teacher proceeds with the lesson, providing a variety of facts, opinions, etc and so forth, but always returns to TMIT. At the end of the lesson the children complete a TMIT chart to recall their information learned.

I think that in life we should have a Most Important Thing. It changes (back to that change again, huh?) through time perhaps, or maybe it just grows more clear or manifests itself in different ways, I'm not sure. I see that The Most Important Thing is to love one another. Obviously, this is seems trite. But a colleague today reminded me that TMIT is to love one another, unconditionally and not in spite of our differences but because of them.

I teach music, general and choral. But, if I never got to teach music again and simply spent all of my days teaching my children to love on another, that to me would be TMIT. I want my children to know that regardless of what they do, how they act, or anything of superficial matters, that they are loved.

So, here is my chart:

The Most Important Thing in life is to LOVE ONE ANOTHER,
and live a healthy lifestyle,
and balance work and play,
and rejoice in our blessings,
and share our blessings with others,
but The Most Important thing in life is to LOVE ONE ANOTHER.

Peace