The Art of Collaboration

What exactly do educators—ex ducare—“lead” their students “out of,” and where do they lead them to? I found my answer to those questions long ago: my job as an educator is to lead my students out of fear, and into freedom.

This must be a collaborative process: Bravely, my students share their thoughts, emotions and sensations as they run into challenges; graciously, I acknowledge their trust, and offer reassurance and rewards; cyclically, trust grows and inspires yet more bravery.

With such a heady vision of education, you might wonder, “Why choose test prep?” Why sacrifice Shakespeare, Eliot, Plath, and Baldwin to SATs, ACTs, LSATs, and GMATs?

First, I made no such sacrifice. On the contrary, test prep is a great vehicle for teaching everything I’ve ever learned from these writers, and in a way that students can integrate and benefit from well after the test,

Second, unlike reading a book or play, test prep is truly collaborative.

The collaboration begins by bringing curiosity, humility and courage to the smaller fears that inevitably come up—fear of being wrong, of being embarrassed, of being bored, of being stuck. Small successes inspire them to become even more curious and more brave as we move on to larger fears—of being humiliated, of being abandoned, of becoming homeless.

It is a sweet moment indeed when the student, after working through these fears, realizes that what seemed to be in the way, was the way. That the energy their bodies give off is not fear, but courage, wisdom, and life force. The fear comes when they try to escape or avoid or lock up this innate intelligence—when they become afraid of their own energy.

Collaboration can teach us that when we make ourselves most vulnerable, we will find the greatest support, within and without. This strikes not only at the heart of performance coaching, but at the art of living.