I had dinner with my friend, Allan, on Saturday night. As we munched on the delicious Vietnamese food at one of my favorite restaurants in the neighborhood, I told Allan about my yoga teacher training (which I’m happy to report is now half-way finished!) and my continued interest in the field of education as a whole. “Do you think teaching is difficult?” Allan asked me. “Can’t you eventually just teach the material on auto-pilot?”
I thought about my teaching experience – teaching yoga at UVA, middle school economics for Junior Achievement in the South Bronx, high school business ethics for Junior Achievement in Lower Manhattan, and guest lecturing at Hunter College on the subject of social media and politics. I’ve never been able to, nor would I want to, go on auto-pilot. Going on auto-pilot isn’t teaching. It’s presenting, badly and blindly.
When I teach, I think of it as service. It’s not about me. It’s about the students. What do they need? How can I help them and what can I learn from them? Teaching is a curated dialogue, and it’s an act that needs commitment. Ever have a conversation with someone on auto-pilot? As soon as I see that auto-pilot light go on, I turn tail and run in the opposite direction. Students with teachers on auto-pilot should do the same. Presenting material is a breeze; doing it in a way that turns on a light for students and makes them see the world differently is a stunning event to witness and must be earned.
I’d love to hear your thoughts on amazing teachers who made a lasting impression on you and how they did it!
The image above is not my own. It can be found here.
Published by Christa Avampato
The short of it:
Writer. Health, education, and art advocate. Theater and film producer. Visual artist. Product geek. Proud alumnae of the University of Pennsylvania (BA) and the Darden School of Business at the University of Virginia (MBA). Inspired by ancient wisdom & modern tech. Proliferator of goodness. Opener of doors. Friend to animals. Fan of creative work in all its wondrous forms. I use my business skills to create passion projects that build a better world. I’ve been called the happiest New Yorker, and I try hard to live up to that title every day.
The long of it:
My career has stretched across Capitol Hill, Broadway theatre, education, nonprofit fundraising, health and wellness, and Fortune 500 companies in retail, media, entertainment, technology, and financial services. I’ve been a product developer and product manager, theater manager, strategic consultant, marketer, voice over artist, , teacher, and fundraiser. I use my business and storytelling to support and sustain passion projects that build a better world. In every experience, I’ve used my sense of and respect for elegant design to develop meaningful products, services, programs, and events.
While building a business career, I also built a strong portfolio as a journalist, novelist, freelance writer, interviewer, presenter, and public speaker. My writing has appeared in The Washington Post, The Huffington Post, PBS.org, Boston.com, Royal Media Partners publications, and The Motley Fool on a wide range of topics including business, technology, science, health, education, culture, and lifestyle. I have also been an invited speaker at SXSW, Teach for America, Avon headquarters, Games for Change, NYU, Columbia University, Hunter College, and the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America. The first book in my young adult book series, Emerson Page and Where the Light Enters, was acquired by a publisher and launched in November 2017. I’m currently working on the second book in the series.
A recovering multi-tasker, I’m equally at home in front of my Mac, on my yoga mat, walking my rescue dog, Phineas, traveling with a purpose, or practicing the high-art of people watching. I also cut up small bits of paper and put them back together as a collage artist.
My company:
I’m bringing together all of my business and creative career paths as the Founder of Double or Nothing Media:
• I craft products, programs, and projects that make a difference;
• I build the business plans that make what I craft financially sustainable;
• I tell the stories that matter about the people, places, and products that inspire me.
Follow my adventures on Twitter at https://twitter.com/christanyc and Instagram at https://instagram.com/christarosenyc.
View all posts by Christa Avampato
I had dinner with my friend, Allan, on Saturday night. As we munched on the delicious Vietnamese food at one of my favorite restaurants in the neighborhood, I told Allan about my yoga teacher training (which I’m happy to report is now half-way finished!) and my continued interest in the field of education as a whole. “Do you think teaching is difficult?” Allan asked me. “Can’t you eventually just teach the material on auto-pilot?”
Christa Avampato 
I’ve been lucky to have some great inspirations throughout my highschool days, such as my philosophy and music teachers who are real gems. But one such teacher that forever marked my life was Ms.D, my grade 11 english teacher. English was a subject that I thought I was pretty good at, up until I had her. She turned the subject inside out for me and really made me work extra hard- which only made me grow to appreciate the depth of the subject even more.
She showed a genuine concern and carness for her students and really opened up my eyes to the world. I think one of the best things about her that made her stand out…was that she could look into each and everyone one of her students’ eyes and simply read them. All from a simple glance, she could gain an understanding of where you were in the world, what you were going through and what you were thinking about. Her warm demeanour towards her students along with her passion for the English subject made her one of my most cherished teachers.
To me she was a coach and a friend to turn to no matter what the cause. She loved sharing her big heart with her students; be it talking about her family, or advising us about our future — she openly cared for each and every one of us, and somewhow made sure that a life lesson was hidden in every one of her classes… for us to explore and take away. She had a vibrant presence in every class, and made the topics we studied come alive with a welcoming energy.
All in all, I think what sets apart an average teacher from an outstanding one is someone who teaches you more than what’s inside the classroom.
LikeLike
Hi Nikita,
Thank you so much for this amazing story about Ms. D. What an incredible woman to have had in your life! Do you still stay in touch with her? Does she know how profoundly she effected you and how fondly you remember your time in her class? I can just imagine her being so touched by your thoughts!
LikeLike
Hi Col! 38 years in public high school English! That is amazing. Does she miss teaching?
I am with you on the education reforms that reward innovation in the classroom. If there is any place where we really need new, dynamic thinking every day, it’s in public school classrooms. I think competition like Race to the Top are a start, but I definitely feel like we need more. I’d love to see a panel of dedicated teachers like your mom advising President Obama on education.
LikeLike
I saw the link to your blog in your email, this is great!! I totally agree with your point about teaching– if you’re going to go on auto-pilot for a yoga class, the students might as well have stayed home & done yoga with a DVD! You definitely have to be present and adapt to your students. But your friend has a point, that once you get used to teaching it becomes natural & you’re able to think less and do more – at least I hope that will come in time! 🙂
LikeLike
Hi Ilana! Thanks for visiting my blog. I am so excited to see where the teaching takes all of us. How are you feeling about it now compared to when we first taught in class?
LikeLike
auto pilot is no good. my mom was a public high school english teacher for 38 years. she always innovated and challenged herself to keep up with the culture and technology her students were living with.
unfortunately, many of her tenured colleagues just phoned it in, using the same lesson plans, tests and curricula for decades. not everyone is self-motivated. teachers unions often protect the status quo and allow people to go on auto pilot. consequently, our public education system … our children and our nation’s future suffer.
i support education reform, merit pay and new methodologies and testing systems.
ok, that’s my political thought for the day. thanks for the forum, christa! and congrats on hitting your 1/2 way point …
LikeLike