Oranges are usually where I draw the line. I am a teacher—a Kindergarten teacher and I am here to help, but oranges are juicy and messy and they make your fingers smell like orange, thereby ruining the whole taste experience for whatever you’re eating. So, I’ll tie shoes, and peel green bananas and mend skinned knees, but with oranges I usually step back and attempt to coach a child through the peeling process.

I did this today. One of my lovies appeared near me during snack and asked me to peel the orange. It was a Cutie, actually. A Cutie, the delicious drop of sunshine specifically engineered to be peel-able. I explained this. The look on her face said, “Geez, lady just peel the orange.” But, I stood my ground. I examined it, and pointed out the creases and folds at the ends, noting that these would be ideal places to pinch and peel. She tried, and although her short nails limited her at first, she did it. She didn’t want to do it, but she did it and she ate.

I coached her. I didn’t peel the Cutie for her. I helped her do it.

I’m not always a coach, though. I have my own children at home. Yesterday was the first time, I asked Jack, now 1, to pick up his clothes and put them in his hamper. I’d always done this for him.

The uniqueness and similarity in those two moments, laundry and oranges was the sense of pride I read on their faces when they did either what they thought they couldn’t or never had tried. Pride.

I was inspired a bit last night while watching a clip of The Voice. I don’t know much about the show except there’s something about big stars and people trying to “make it big,” and spinning chairs. I caught a segment where Shakira was helping a contestant named Sasha. She said, “you’re beautiful and this is a very beautiful song—connect with the beauty of the song.”  Sasha apparently was a great singer to begin with, but this little tweak seemed to be a catalyst for what was a great performance.

That’s what coaches do, I think. They help you to reach your personal maximum capacity.

Among the many ponderences I roll around in my thoughts is this: What would the world be like if we simply nurtured and fulfilled the purpose for which our lives were specifically intended?

That’s not what school is about—not always. In school, there is curriculum and standards and ultimately assessment, but what if it were a place full of coaches whose sole purpose was to seek out, develop and nurture talent and talk to you in a way to improve against your own success?

I teach Kindergarten. There are bottom lines when it comes to phonemic awareness, number sense and science. But there are also truths and procedures involved in learning how to be, how to attack a challenge and overcome a roadblock. I like those moments best. The ones that reveal not only how to do it, but also, “I CAN DO IT!”

I’ll probably break down and peel someone’s orange or even pick up more strewn laundry. But, I will also remember the power of coaching and the pride in the feeling of accomplishment and I will make it my duty, not only teach, but also to coach!

Learner, Thinker, Writer:  Chari P. Nickerson serves the Trinity School community as a Kindergarten teacher & some days as a Kindergarten coach!  🙂