The Power of Moments

Recently I went to the OTR 2 (On The Run II) concert featuring Jay-Z and Beyonce. I originally wanted to go to just have fun, dance, and listen to some of their greatest hits!  I did just that! However, as the concert progressed, I started to realize that the dancing of myself and others started to slow down and we simply just watched and listened.  We got caught up in the moments that Jay-Z and Beyonce created for us telling the story of their lives through music and memorizing visuals. They shared part of their legacy throughout the whole two hour event that left such a lasting impression on myself and others.

I bet you’re wondering what in the world does Jay-Z and Beyonce have to do with education?  Well they created a special moment for myself and others. A moment where we all felt happy, and for two hours took our worries away.  They left a lasting impression that myself and others who have the opportunity to see their concert will be forever talking about. It’s the power of the moment.

Recently, I ran into one of my former students’ who is about to start his freshman year in college.  We spent almost an hour in the middle of the grocery store reminiscing about all the moments that were created when I was a 2nd grade teacher.  He talked about how we sang grammar songs, created math fact raps, researched interesting topics, and laughed so much in class. Even when we cried it was tears of joy or tears of letting go of fears of I can’t.  After leaving the library I thought WOW we remembered all that after all these years.  We remembered because moments were created by me and my students. The power of the moment.

As educators, we can get bogged down by state/district initiatives, the thought I have to make sure I go over the rules and procedures within the first week, or I need to start curriculum right away.  PAUSE, BREATHE, and RESET. Take the time within the first few weeks of school and throughout the year to create moments for yourself, family, students/staff that they will be talking about for years to come. They will be grateful and so will you!  Love, live, laugh, and play! What moments will you create?

PS: This post was inspired by the book The Power of Moments: Why Certain Experiences Have Extraordinary Impact.  I highly recommend the book as it is inspirational to apply to all aspects of our life, not solely work.  In addition, thank you to all the speakers who I heard present at conferences over the summer who talked about building relationships and helping students create their legacy.  Thank you for inspiring this post as well.