O wait a minute, we're not fighting, we're learning.

Some people say they love to teach and they probably do. I'm just wondering if there are some who are caught up in "loving to dictate" or maybe "espouse" a lot. Well, now I'm not trying to be the devil's advocate, but you can probably picture a few teachers like that, yes?

I've had a lot of teachers, from kids I've parented in the foster care system, to professors and CEO's. I've been taught by the worst of 'em and the best. Child Welfare people from Cornell, Child Welfare League Of America and other name brand teachers have been absolutely dedicated and my true heroes, even unsung heroes in their field. I've had the boring all about me professors, and I've had some that brought me to my knees with their eloquence. I've had preachers and bishops and Church Presidents and seminar teachers who have brought me to higher levels of understanding than I ever thought possible. I've had children bring me to my feet as I thundered with applause at their ability to teach ME. Have you been there, too?

I learned something from them all. Perhaps one of the most important things I learned was that I needed to learn. All good teachers need to be teachable.

Once you reach the plateau of "knowing" you should then realize there's another mountain of learning to climb just ahead. If you don't know that, there will always be someone willing to teach it to you. None of us like learning from the school of hard knocks. Ouch! If we'd only listen to those with a bit of gray hair...

No one likes a know-it-all. Know-it-alls never reach their goals. Have you ever attended a class, where the teacher said "I" so many times you nearly lost your mind? You came away frustrated with comments unspoken; feeling as though you were choking and wasting your time.

When thinking about teaching, we should consider the word facilitate and assimilate. Information should be presented from the view of "Here's my message, how can I help you use it?"

Students need to feel that the teacher has a message about something they truly can explain...yet at the same time the teacher needs to be open enough to the student so that the learning becomes reciprocal. We never know enough or know it all. It's a pretty rocky road, that goes one way.

I humbly admit that sometimes I can sound that way...After all, I do know what I know, and I spent a lot of time learning it.

I make no apologies for that, however, I do look forward to learning more from others well traveled, IF they also respect my current knowlege. It's a real turn off when the teacher or messenger or bearer of news only wants to talk...not listen to the receivers of THEIR message. To me, that's the ultimate teaching bully. Me, Me, Me. Listen to meee.

After 18 years in foster care, 12 years of training nationally in the field of child welfare, 6 years of teaching elementary education, 4 years of college, 250 foster children, 32 years of marriage, parenting 2 adopted babies and 1 bilogical son ( I only differentiate between them to show the different experiences...the river of love knows no difference), 8 years of property management-marketing-customer service, 2 years in sales specifically, 4 years with Ma Bell in the early 70's, and 5 years of helping a blind mother "see" life while I was a pre-teen and then teen, I think I deserve a measure of respect.

Now, also, others have a story and I'm ready to listen. Just don't shut out my input too, agreed?

A teachable teacher will posses a minimum of these skills:

• the ability to listen
• the ability to share
• the ability to respect others
• the ability to know they could be wrong
• the ability to admit they made a mistake
• the ability to ask for forgiveness
• the ability to move on
• the ability to teach and transfer information
• the ability to laugh
• possess a strong and life saving sense of humor
• the ability to cry
• the ability to disagree without being disagreeable
• the ability to see outside the box
• the ability to understand they can't cure everything
• the ability to love
• possess patience beyond measure
• the ability to see boundaries and know no boundaries
• posses empathy regarding that which they have not experienced but can feel that another has

Now that we picture that wonderful teacher...let's be good students. I am willing. We are all teachers/learners.

It is difficult though, to sit in a room with one teacher thinking they are IT. Ultimate authority. The be all, to end all. Your turn to talk? Oh no, they say, I won't listen to you. YOU, listen to me and if you want to speak, to dare to teach me.. then I will shut you out. Ok, shut me out. There are plenty of other teachers who also enjoy learning. I can handle rejection from the teaching bullies....though it is a bit boring.

I'm not bitter. Or, am I? Well, maybe just a tad...but then, I don't take myself tooooo seriously, either. It's the "...possess a strong and life saving sense of humor..." characteristic listed above. I'm still working on the others.

Teachable Teachers I admire you, I want to be like you...I will continue to try.