I saw this one on Twitter today from the eminent Sir John Cleese:
Always be the silliest in any group. 😃 #tbt pic.twitter.com/oMJu876Wsz
— John Cleese (@JohnCleese) April 22, 2021
(Just in case you aren't familiar...John Cleese is one of the members of the ground-breaking British comedy troupe, Monty Python. This photo is of the group as they looked in the early days--maybe late 1960s or early 70s?--and Cleese is the one grinning like a fool. They may have had their heyday in the 70s and 80s, but this group has had a huge impact on media and culture far beyond the British Isles.)
I love it! I think this is a rule that I live by, and I didn't even realize it until I saw it written this way.
I revel in silliness.
I play the ukulele.
I yo-yo as I walk across campus.
I get my Intro to Ed students to try juggling in class.
I exhibit a manic energy in teaching my Elementary Science Methods course.
At one of the summer camps I serve (shout-out to Royal Family Kids!) I dress up in a banana costume and sing ridiculous songs...and somehow get the whole group of campers and staff to play along and sing and dance with me.
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| Not atypical for me to look like this (at camp, at least...) |
Something I've tried to embody--and to pass along to my students, future teachers that they are--is that I should take my WORK very seriously...but I try to not take MYSELF too seriously.
Not that I want to be the butt of every joke, or anything like that. And I'm not just trying to be self-deprecating all the time. After all, I do want my students to have confidence in me as their teacher, and I want my colleagues to have confidence in me as someone who is reliable, and trustworthy, and an active contributor to important work.
But...I also want to be able to bring levity, positivity, and joy to my work! And I think I (generally) embody this quite well.
My big wondering right now: do people take me seriously even when I am silly?
I guess I'm thinking about this from a John Cleese sort of frame. He is one of the best in the world at what he does--he takes his comedy seriously, and has honed his craft over decades of work. Maybe my teaching practice isn't all that different?
Can I be seriously silly?
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