Why does a person teach others what they know? There are so many reasons. Some teach as their job or profession, and for many it is a calling to assist others’ development. I think of first grade teachers, athletic coaches and trainers, tutors, music teachers, and all kinds of other ways and reasons we support, guide, and mentor each other.
Apparently, it was something I was born to do, because I got an early start. I loved learning to read in first grade, and a year later taught my 5-year old sister to read so she could get her own library card. Who wouldn’t want to know how to read?
I found myself teaching peer counseling in my twenties while also receiving very kind mentoring to become a leader within that community. I taught (and performed) Appalachian clogging, movements most of us don’t make naturally, but answers the question of how to dance with fiddle music. With a fine arts degree in textiles, I taught color theory and printed textile design (before computer aided design) to apparel design students who mostly were sure that they couldn’t paint anything.
Perhaps my early experience at the dinner table contributed. My beloved father would ask two his daughters, “What did you learn in school today?” He was genuinely curious and always encouraged our questions. So, of course, we asked him, “What did you do at work today, Daddy?” He was an engineer, and couldn’t complete a sentence without our asking him what this or that technical thing was. He raised two daughters who never doubted our intelligence. I am very grateful for that.
When I found myself working in the marketing department of an architecture firm, I already understood the importance of explaining things in plain English, of being a translator. Working in the design and construction industry for 20 years, gave me plenty of opportunity to translate technical terms into everyday language that my clients’ prospective clients could understand. I enjoyed the geeky aspect of learning what technical stuff was so I could help explain it, as well as providing a helpful service.
Now I do bodywork with horses. Besides the technical strokes I use, my other essential job skill is equine body language. It is how the horse I am touching tells me how they feel about the session. My passion for helping horses plus my orientation to teach and translate has given me lots of ideas and opportunities to show my clients how they can touch their horse, and to offer classes and clinics for horse owners wanting to learn more ways to connect with and support their beloved horse(s)’ health with easily adaptable practices.
I am beginning to plan classes for 2020 at my farm. I hope you’ll stay tuned and come join us!
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