Learning how not to be.
We don't talk about this enough.
Selina Meyer is a vindictive, back-stabbing, chaotic woman who repeatedly threw her staff under the bus, lied to the media, and created terrible situations for her constituents.
She's also a fictional character.
Selina Meyer is the lead character on Veep, an HBO comedy series (2012-2019) starring the outstanding Julia Louis-Dreyfus. The winner of six Primetime Emmy awards for this role, Ms. Louis-Dreyfus broke the record for most awards for a single role.
This bobblehead of Selina Meyer that's in my office reminds me of how not to be.
At The Piano Instructor, we focus a lot on how to be a good teacher, how to create a great environment for our students, and how to self-care so that we can do this job happily for a long time.
This character is the complete opposite of how to be, and I posit that that's also an important perspective to keep in mind.
As we proceed to the end of the school year, try to do everything you can to not slip into her habits:
- Try to respond to school staff with good cheer (instead of with curt, biting, sarcastic answers).
- Try to attend most, if not all, of the staff meetings remaining in the year (and try not to openly roll your eyes or mumble profanities under your breath) (and definitely do not say, “The incompetence in this office is staggering!”).
- Try to be present with your students and help them as best as you can (instead of….uh…saying stuff like, “Stop this b*tch crying”)
Depending on the school district, you have about 75 days left.
If you teach privately, you have about eight to ten weeks before the summer begins.
You got this.
