Last night my students labored over 10-pages of Irish exam, packed with verb conjugations, prepositions, noun plurals, conversations, proverbs, and important questions like: An itheann tú sushi? Do you eat sushi?
The cardinal-rule of exam-taking in my classes is to take a shot at everything. I am the Queen of Partial Credit, so it just makes sense to guess rather than to leave things blank. And I love to see my students act boldly, to make an attempt, and to succeed – even partially!
The same is true of music & life. Let’s leave no blanks, friends. Let’s hazard a guess on every score. Let’s squeak out something – a song, a quatrain, a vase, a sketch, a love affair. Let’s not let the fear of being wrong freeze us to our chairs. There are far worse things than being wrong: being dead but technically alive, I think, would be the worst of all.
We are far better than we think we are. We know more, are capable of more, are more impressive and powerful than we ever dreamed. Recently I said of one friend, “If he just knew how cool he was, he’d be AMAZING!”
That is true of you and me, too.
And while I may be the Queen of Partial Credit, life itself is the Goddess of Partial Credit. Wrong answers still reward us. Passionate failures teach and spur us. Just showing up earns us an easy ten points.
So lets fill in every blank – preferably with a pen dipped in star dust, a joyful purple crayon, or even finger paints dipped out of a jar marked HOPE.
I love this, Kate! Beautifully said and a wonderful concept!
Comment by Mindi — May 13, 2010 @ 8:55 pm
In my life, I have plugged on and on in the face of incredible adversity and challenge at times. Eventually, or at least from time to time, there are some hurdles that take a period of respite, and reorganiziung to make the next attempt to leap. I have been, in love, an open heart of the belief in possibilities, but there comes a time, when even the heart needs to protect itself from further unnecessary damage. After several years of feeling stalemated, of knowing I had to redirect my creative energies into survival mode, I am taking steps towards the belief that even now, love can happen, hope is still alive. And, I am glad your students have you as their teacher Kate! I cannot imagine a better one than you to teach them anything you love doing yourself! Blessings, Gypsy Ruth
Comment by Gypsy — May 13, 2010 @ 10:31 pm
Well said, Kate. As a corollary I would suggest that it is imperfection that makes things interesting. After an open mic does your memory not return to that singer who has dared to try out a song for the very first time in public? In a field of clover is your eye not drawn to the one with an even number of leaves? Your students are blessed.
Comment by Tom Smith — May 15, 2010 @ 7:15 am
Lucky, lucky students. Thank you, Kate, for this new bible or holy writ: your blogs. Dear friend to all, this is beautiful…Lucky, lucky us! Love, Cynthia
Comment by Cynthia — May 15, 2010 @ 8:09 am