That Moment Is Good For Everyone
I fell into my career as a trainer, but I became good at it on purpose. Education can do that, you know. It can help you do things better.
Way back in the stone ages (you know, when I was in college), I worked as a manager at a big department store. After a few months there, I started to gain notice among senior management. Apparently, I was really good at making my department look pristine and perfect. It didn't take long for me to be named a regional trainer. It became my responsibility to travel around the country for new store openings. I would set up the department and train others how to do that thing I was so very good at doing.
I didn't really know how to train people, though. The new store opening process was a chaotic and stressful one. The training team would work 18 hours days for ten days straight, so we all had a tendency to just do all of the set-up ourselves. "Trainer" might have been in our job titles, but what we really did was tell people to stay out of way as we tried to get as much done as possible.
It was at a store opening in Wisconsin that I figured out I was doing it wrong. I was behind a jewelry counter untangling a bunch of necklaces when I overheard two of the local store managers talking. They were frustrated that they hadn't learned how to do anything. They went on and on complaining about us trainers and our cavalier attitudes.
It stung a bit. No doubt.
But, from that overheard conversation, an obsession was born.
The next semester I made it a point to take more communication and business writing classes at school. I paid more attention in my technical writing classes. I sought out information on adult learning theory. I applied what I knew about translating Spanish into English to translation "complicated" English into English that anyone could understand. I stopped being a trainer and became a Trainer.
I remember the exact moment that all of the work paid off for the first time. I walked around a corner to check on my trainee and found that she had nailed the project she was working on. Absolutely NAILED IT. Every detail was perfect and I told the trainee as much. She grinned from ear-to-ear before continuing on to the next thing.
That store opening, the first one where I really trained someone how to do their job, we were ready a full two days early. I hadn't shoved someone out of my way and done everything myself but instead had really partnered with them. The payoff was HUGE. We didn't just get two extra days to use how we pleased, I also loved the feeling of knowing that I was leaving the store with a new manager who really understood how to do her job.
I've spent most of the ten years since that store opening working in corporate training. I have helped accounting professionals learn how to do their jobs using new software. I've helped customer service representatives understand how to navigate systems so they could answer questions quickly and accurately. I've trained everyone from company presidents to entry-level clerks.
There is always That Moment. That Moment when I see their eyes light up with "I get it!" There are few things in life better than knowing you have played a part in helping someone really understand their job.
Capella University can help you have That Moment. Whether it's the skills needed to help be good at something or the knowledge to help others reach their potential, your degree will change more lives than just your own. You can learn more about Capella and what graduates are saying on Facebook, YouTube, or on their website.
Photo by aeboi80
What about you? Has anyone ever given you That Moment? Please tell me about someone (a teacher, a loved one, anyone!) who helped you reach your potential in the comments below. BlogHer has graciously offered to donate $1 for every comment up to $500 to Reading is Fundamental. The ten seconds it takes for you to leave a comment will directly help deliver the joy of reading to kids.
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Monday, June 11, 2012
Reader Comments (87)
My 2nd grade teacher was the best teacher I ever had because she helped me really understand what we were learning.
This sounds a little flat & boring but....my high school English teacher taught us to listen and absorb but somehow take relevant notes. Great stuff.
Like Angie, my second grade teacher helped me reach my potential by recognizing my ability to go above and beyond the general curriculum and entered me into the process to place me in the enrichment program in my school district. This didn't cause any changes in my life until third grade, when I was tested for placement, and until that point, I never even knew she thought about me much at all, let alone as a "high achiever." (A big thank you to all teachers who work year in and year out for a mostly thankless job, but make huge differences in children's lives.)
I was a computer lab assistant for my work study position in at the local community college. Many senior citizen's would come in to do classwork and ask questions. I fondly remember one gentleman who had some questions about how to select a cell in Excel (I think to resize). I tried to describe the cursor as a cross, a plus sign, and finally I said 'cross hairs.' He LIT up! Turns out he was a pilot and our conversation briefly got sidetracked about 'lining the enemies up in the cross hairs.'
In later positions, because I like you some how fell into these teachery/trainery type positions (I was an Info Science major) I tried to make it a point to steer classes in terms the attendees could understand. Yes I had points to cover, but put in terms and examples they could understand.
I think that lightbulb moment is one of my favorite parts of teaching!
Seeing a 5 year old "get it" is incredible!
Especially learning to read!!! I'm all for RIF!
And secondly, my seventh grade science teacher. He recognized a passion for knowledge in me and helped me explore science in manners above and beyond the curriculum. He fostered a greater love for learning in me, both by expressing <b>his</b> enthusiasm and joy for my desire to learn more (something he did to an extent I hadn't yet seen in any other teacher) and for encouraging me in my educational endeavors, most of which came in the manner of simple discussions. It's amazing what a simple, open & honest discussion can do for a child. (Something I need to remember as a parent - to be sure to encourage my children in their knowledge-seeking as though they are a peer, and not to patronize them as though they are a "child.")
I LOVE that moment. Both in feeling it and being the one to cause it. I definitely had a few "aha!" moments in your class! And as a tutor in college, I loved when I finally got the information through to others.
My aha moments usually came from teachers when they saw I just wasn't getting it and they switched to a new tactic.
My best friend, who was also my trainer at work, helped me understand Instructional Designing so well that I can say it runs in my blood now!
I can confidently say that he taught me how to effectively do my job as an ID -- teach students and train professionals in a way that helps them achieve That Moment.
My Grandpa. I was being a miserable teen-aged girl who didn't want to be spending the week at the Virginia shore with my grandparents and three sisters because of a difficult time my parents were going through. He sat me down after I complained about driving to North Carolina to see yet more trees and pick more peaches, and told me that I could either continue to have a miserable summer or I could enjoy the trip. The choice was mine and only I was responsible for whether or not I was happy. No one else could do that and I shouldn't stress about things I had absolutely no control over. I can only control how I act and react. It was at that moment, I made a concscious decision to take responsibilty for my life.
That's awesome!
Love this! There is nothing worse than beginning a new job, and not learning the skills and steps to do your job! I have had amazing training experiences where at the end you had a true understanding of the position. However, I have had the bad experiences aas well where I felt as though I was in survival mode afterward winging it!
Hands down, English Lit teacher, junior year of high school. I never expected to learn my life's motto in English Lit class, but thanks to a brilliant teacher who taught the value of non-conformity and nurtured the inner wise-guy out of this wallflower, I learned not to worry about what others thought of me. High school got so much easier once I stopped giving a crap. I learned that when you try to please everyone, you end up pleasing no one, least of all, yourself.
I only regret that I never had a chance to tell him exactly how much his lessons meant to me.
I've been lucky enough to have lots of people in my life teach me something so I had "that moment". I'm not always sure what the "moments" are leading to for me but I certainly appreciate the time and effort that went into them.
I had one of those high school math teachers (at Penn Hills) that always made the extra effort. He made sure we all "got it" no matter how tough the topic. He was the teacher that helped kids before and after school, during lunch, during study hall. If all teachers were like that, there wouldn't be so many people who say, "I'm just not good at math."
My "ahhh haaaa!" moment was actually courtesy of a man who SUCKED at his job as my boss. Watching him fail at leading his team was one of the most educational experiences I had in my career and made me a better trainer and listener because of it. As much as I completely despised that man I can definitely say his lack of leadership and ability to train and manage totally helped me find my own path, even if it was only because I NEVER wanted my staff to feel about me the way I felt about him.
My best friend, now a college-level mathematics professor with her Ph.D., got me to that "ah-ha" moment with every math course I took! She's a wonderful, patient teacher.
RIF is a great program and they are always looking for reading mentors. I read to a 3rd grader last year and can't wait to get a new reading buddy in the fall!
Definitely a basketball coach I had at a young age... instilled life lessons in me that translated well across all disciplines.
I had an eighth-grade English teacher who mercilessly slashed through my "purple prose" and insisted I simplify my sentences. I was initially dismayed that she wasn't as thrilled with my writing as I was, but then it dawned on me that simpler was better. She helped me see I could be more effective with fewer words. And now when I struggle with flowery prose, I remember Mrs. H. and her red pen. I'm forever grateful!
I had a fantastic teacher as well when I was about 12/13-years old. She taught history and she was short before retirement and one of the very few people I met who experienced the NAZI regime and were willing to talk about it. So it was not something coming out of a book but out of the lively memories of a person I adored (she was a GREAT teacher). I will never forget that.
She also told me, that my talent would be "wriiting and talking and all around reading and books", but that I could do anything else what I would love to do because I would be strong enough to keep my talents alive and use them even if I would professionally focus on something else. And she was right - that is basically where I am 25 years later.
I also learn a lot at the moment from my almost 3 year old niece. She asks such interesting and smart questions and I adore her for having her real and her phantasy world totally melting into each other into a magic world of miracles where she can spend an afternoon with letting imaginary balloons fly up into the sky.
The summer I was 3, our tv was broken, and we went to the library all. the. time. That summer, my mom taught me how to read, and I've been plowing through books ever since. This summer, I hope to share that gift with my little girls.
The teacher I had for pre-algebra and algebra I in our middle school laid such a solid foundation for me that I never struggled in math in high school.
My english 101 prof in college was such a stickler for perfection/ I hated him while I was in his class, but now I realize I learned more from him than any other professor I ever had.
There were 2 for me. My special reading teacher that worked with me for 4 years, Mrs Mehgan. She was my rock..she always believed in me especially when I didn't believe in myself. She never let me quit and she never quit on me either as so many others had. I have her to thank for my almost obsessive love of reading and writing. She just made all the difference in the world. The second teacher was Miss Elder..my 6th grade ratchet who finally..in 6th grade..helped me learn my multiplication tables. I struggled from second grade on. And I was passed on to the next teacher and the next teacher because no one knew how to get through to me. She found that"aha" thing for me and made it all make sense. I'll never be great at math but at least I don't always have to use my fingers!
I have had some of the most fantastic teachers to grace the public school system in my state. They are truly award winners. I'm lucky to count some of them now as friends. One in particular made a tremendous difference in my life by instilling within me (Me, an introvert!) the confidence for public speaking and teaching me the skill of oral advocacy. I credit my capability as a litigator to her.
As corny as it sounds, my parents are the ones. I always knew I could do ANYTHING b/c they believed I could. AND they gave me the tools- the love of reading, the knowledge of how to work hard, and the drive to be successful. The thing that now impresses me is that they made me feel this way even though I wasn't the "smart one" in the family (I mean I was salutatorian, but my younger sister was/is in the "gifted" category.)
My tenth grade English teacher. I was terrified of public speaking. But we had to give weekly speeches in class and it was only going to get more numerous in eleventh grade. Every time I had to stand up, I would panic, shake, even cry and couldn't speak. She first switched me to a smaller class then spent extra time with me helping me learn to calm myself and go over what I needed to say. If it weren't for Mrs. Snyder, I'd still be trying to pass tenth grade.
Junior high (when they still called it that) My English teacher taught us how to diagram sentences. Not sure that I can explain it, but sure has helped me edit engineers writing over the years!
Helping new mom breastfed is so immediately gratifying. Watching me realize that they are doing it is priceless!
I teach teen development for girls and was recently at a school with 5th graders. As I was passing things out on of the girls whispered to me "I've started and you are really helping me!". Her eyes were a glitter that someone understood and cared about educating her on what was happening. I felt such a high knowin I've helped at least one other girl through the crazy time of puberty!
My first boss out of college was a great inspiration to me. He was (and still is) patient, willing to listen, open-minded and able to explain or discuss things without defensiveness or authoritativeness. It made my first (and still current) workplace a productive, learning environment.
I totally posted my comments on the other entry, I'll say by mistake. As I said over there, my parents were the most responsible for my joy of reading and taught me at a young age to love reading. I too, have shared that love of reading to my kids and hope that they will get as much out of it as I do.
Mr Fink my 4th grade teacher. He was the first male teacher I had and taught differenlty than all the women. He made us apply what we learned to the real world. You didn't just talk about solar energy you had to learn how to use it; we all made solar powered cookers. We learned the concept and then applied it in a way we could understand. That really changed how I approached learning.
My high school Chemistry teacher did it for me. I was kinda a nerd (OK, that's the understatement of the century right there...) but chemistry did it for me. I even grew up to become an analytical chemist for 8 years (back before I was "just" The Mommy). I was also a HUGE klutz - which meant every year of my 3 years of high school chem I got zero dollars back from our lab fee. Yeah. My lab partner was a big, klutzy and slightly less intelligent jock. We were broke. We probably owed HER money. Incidentally, that teacher is now superintendent of the entire school system where I grew up, she's that awesome.
There have been several teachers who have amde an impression on me. The one that made the most was my high school science teacher. He inspired me to look beyond what was right in front of your face. Not to just ask the why but to find it yourself and then, if you could put your finger on it...then ask.
Loved that man. He passed away several years ago but he made a HUGE impression on me.
I never really had that AHA! Moment when I was impressionable enough to do something about it. I will say, though, that I was an Accounting major going into college, and during my second Accounting I class my freshman year, I realized I could not do that with the rest of my life. I went right after class and changed my major to English.
I had a high school english teach, Ms. Livingston, who taught me two things - first a love of good literature and second, how to write SEXI. No, not sexy, but SEXI. Using a method of making a Statement, Explaining the statement, give an eXample, and iterate the main point again. This method has never failed me through straight As in college and success in business writing. Thanks, Ms. Livingston!
I think that each and every person that you meet in life teaches you something. Think about the times that you were in the wrong place at the wrong time and something awesome happened. It's all about the lessons! Now, I'm not quite sure what annoying people teach you, maybe tolerance?
I unfortunately tend to forget them until another one comes along. The most recent "aha!" moment happened a few weeks ago at the hospital. He was a lactation consultant, someone that really went above and beyond to help my new little family out. We never seem to be done learning and needing help in life. Those amazing "teachers" that have those thankless jobs can be found in the most unlikely of places.
I learned from my students during my frist year teaching at an Approved Private School for emotionally disturbed inner city students. I learned that teaching is a lot more than what I read in textbooks during my 4 years in college. I never thought that at age 22, students would be teaching me about what it really means to be a teacher. I walked away from that place with multiple ER visits, but the lessons I learned about behavior management, connecting with students on their level, and not taking life for granted, were so valuable to my teaching journey.
I'm blanking on my own "that moment," but after reading through these comments about teachers, I can only hope to be that kind of teacher someday. This was my first year as a full-time teacher and I know I have a lot more to learn. It helps when the parents believe in you. It's difficult sometimes to keep a positive attitude when you face parents (or even just everyday people) that just want to fight you...even though we're "fighting" for the same thing. Helping the kids!
My aunt was very strict when I was a kid, but I really approciate it now since I learn responsability and hard work from her teachings.
I had so many great teachers! Mrs. Green my typewriting teacher who taught me never to rip the paper out of the typewriter. MISS Pyer who was a very strong unmarried woman and was proud of it. My algebra teacher didn't end up teaching me much but he sure was funny.
Last year I had an opportunity to do something totally different with my life -- work with the US Army and spend some time in Afghanistan. It was remarkable but as you might imagine, way out of my league in terms of training. I was assigned to 10 weeks of training at Fort Polk, LA with a team of Liason/Mentors from the Ohio National Guard under the command of Ltc Chip Henderson. Having these 12 guys at my back was amazing as they made sure I could never fail at any task and that I was always prepared to whatever the next thing was. I can't even begin to tell you all that I learned on a technical level but the best lesson was working as a team and never having a weak link because everyone looked out for everyone else. Amazing experience!
My third grade teacher Mrs. Mirth, was very strict and disciplined. She really emphasized study skills and being prepared. I didn't appreciate her efforts and how much easier she made my educational experiences until I reached college. The university I attended had a mandatory study skills class and everything that was taught in those sessions I had already learned from Mrs. Mirth. Thanks for preparing me so well at a young age.
Actually, it was my fiance who took the time and had the patience to explain something to me, over and over... others would have give up, or say " just do this and then that" e.g. teach me to do a tric but he understood my need and desire to really understand what i was doing. Over a decade later I still love him :)
My moment came to me when my son asked me to read the same book to him over and over again. I flashed back to my childhood and how often my dad would read me my favorite book. He always found the time and patience to make me feel special. Inspired by my dad, I could do the same for my son, over and over again.
My middle school science teacher is my biggest inspiration as to why I am a scientist today. She made learning fun and she gave me the confidence to believe in myself.
I'm going to post because reading is awesome. I had many a teacher that I truly adored growing up. I know not everyone has that! I was reading proficiently at two, thanks to my patient and attentive mama (despite the fact that she worked full time). Now, I'm a bookworm who can't put a good book down. COMMENTING FOR THE KIDS! :)
second comment, because $2 is better than $1, and it's for the kids! I think my 3rd grade teacher was probably my favorite. She was my first teacher when we moved from los angeles to south dakota (holy culture shock). She both embraced and encouraged my advanced reading and writing skills, and helped me truly understand what it meant to be "good" at something. Thanks, Mrs. A!