Red-bellied Woodpecker : The Student Teacher

Red-bellied Woodpecker

This is a Red-bellied Woodpecker.  I saw one, maybe this one, in this very same place five months ago.  I was a student then.  That morning was focused on learning:  studying the bird, its habitat, and its relationships.  This morning’s experience was different.  Today I saw this bird through the lens of a teacher.  Just the day prior, I had taught a class and used my springtime photo as the text which guided the class discussion.  As I approached the tree, my mind was full of yesterday’s details, and I was relishing how much we had learned together.  Then, standing, watching, marveling, I was joined - almost on cue - by an inquiring fellow who wanted to know more about this bird, in this park.  Thoughts of teaching manifested a student.

Jewish tradition exalts teachers.  When we speak of Moses, the greatest of the greats, we refer to him as a prophet or the Lawgiver.  But no title is more heartfelt than Moshe Rabbeinu, “Moses Our Teacher.”  The Fifth Commandment, that we honor our mothers and fathers, has also been interpreted broadeningly to include teachers.  Teaching - both worldly and ethical lessons - is akin to giving a child life.  So it’s hardly surprising that the Hebrew word for “teacher,” rabbi, literally means “My great one.”  And as we look at teachers historically, we consider the quantity and excellence of their schools.  Akiva, Hillel, Shammai, all are known for their individual contributions, certainly, but it’s their students’ impact that defines their legacy.

Perhaps the bird I saw this morning is the same one I saw five months ago.  I don’t know.  I do know, positively, that the man who saw each bird is different.  Five months of teaching has changed who I am. It would be pat to say, “The student has become the teacher.”  Say rather, “The student has become the teacher, also.”  Both roles are now part of the way that I experience the world.  It is vastly richer to be a teacher who remains always a student.  Whether we call it a growth mindset, or simply maintaining an enduring curiosity, remaining a seeker is fundamental to being able to guide others.  The Woodpecker is both my lesson-plan and homework.  Our greatest teachers are also humble students.