Teaching is a Stitch (Happy Father’s Day)

My father is a retired professor.  He taught for 37 years at Washington University in St. Louis.  When I was little, I asked him what his toys were.  His reply: “Words are my toys.”  So, you can thank George for all my groan-worthy puns.  

I noticed as a teenager that he always taught the same courses, year after year and I asked him, how are you not bored, teaching the same thing all the time? I’ll never forget how he raised his finger and said “Oh, but the students change!”  It wasn’t until I started teaching sewing that I truly understood what he meant.  My students range from age 7 to 70.  Each one is a delight, with a unique personality, strengths and weaknesses but all have a bright spirit and willingness to learn in common.  I find the 90 minutes literally fly by.  

 It’s pretty hard not to enjoy yourself when you let 7-year-olds pick the background music and they tell Alexa to play the Zombies 2 soundtrack.  Or, when a 10-year-old proclaims “boo-yah!” when she finishes a seam on her avocado/cat pajama pants, complete with a fist pump.  I marvel at the straight stitches from my teenaged student who is also an accomplished pianist.  One of my adult students takes copious notes and is very thorough, even completing homework.  She will soon surpass the teacher.  No pride here, that’s the goal!  The best is when you get to chatting with your eldest and most interesting student and you go way over the allotted time but don’t even care because this is the good stuff in life, right there in the present. 

So, this Father’s Day, I want to say: I get it Dad!  The people are what it’s all about.  I guess that’s why we had lots and lots of students to our house over the years.  Happy Father’s Day to my sweet, witty dad, a great professor and friend to many.  I promise I won’t ever stop being punny or connecting with people.  Teaching sewing, and life in general, are a stitch! 

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