#1: Something About Everything
I am the one who wants to go further, the one who loves to learn. I am the curious one and the frustrated one and the one who cares. About people, the environment, the future. I am the one who is interested in everything. I am the one who wants to do something about everything.
I am here because I love English. But I am here because I know the world is not divided into English and science and social studies and math. The world is everything at once, and most importantly, using everything to do something. We cannot simply study writing or learn science, we have to put it together and use it to help the world. I am here because I want to devote myself to making the world a better place, but I don’t yet know how.
I love to play piano. When I touch the keys, I feel joy, exhilaration, complete control. I learn to play music because I am dedicated and motivated. Piano makes my world better. But do I want to go through life just for me? I want to make the world better for other people, and for myself at the same time. I am here to find a way to do that.
But right now, I can’t change the world. Maybe I can learn a little about how to. Maybe I can learn about what kind of changes I want to make. Maybe I can learn about other people and myself. Right now, I can’t change the world. But I can meet other people who want to.
Right now, I am here to learn something about everything.
Featured Image by Joshua Powers
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Greta,
My name is Erik Remsen and I am one of the mentor teachers this year. I loved seeing your observation that “the world is everything at once,” and not split into individual silos, such as those like English, social studies, or math, that you find at most schools. I think that realization will aid you in this course because whatever topic you settle on will require you to cross boundaries between disciplines.
Erik
Thank you Erik! I’m definitely looking forward to working across disciplines.
Greta
Hi Greta,
I very much enjoyed reading your blog post. Your honesty about the challenges of integrating the various disciplines that you’re studying into a cohesive whole with which to help change the world will, I think, help you navigate with focus and mindfulness.
As a musician, I share your love of music and the joy it brings to play. I’d encourage you to think about your piano playing as a way of sharing that joy by letting others hear you play. Most people, I find, love music and listening to someone play is often a great pleasure. I’d also encourage you to play music with others. There’s a special joy making music together.
I look forward to reading and responding to your blog posts during the What’s the Story? course.
Best, Shel
Shel,
I’m glad you enjoyed my post! I do agree that so much of the joy of music does come from the joy it brings to others. I love performing and playing with other people (in chamber music and jazz band for piano, and band and orchestra for clarinet, my second instrument). I agree that music is certainly a way to make the world a better place. But what I ask myself sometimes and still don’t have an answer for is, does bringing joy to others really help the world? Maybe on one level, and it certainly helps their world, but the whole world? I love music and the arts, but I think what I want to do with this course is find another avenue for helping the world. I’m glad you want to help me do that!
Greta