Tapestry

Tapestry is a form of art where threads are woven through a loom.  The end product is used for decorations in homes and other places.  They tell a story through drawings.  Some of the most famous tapestries are The Trojan War Tapestry, The Apocalypse Tapestry, and The Devonshire Hunting Tapestries.  Make no mistake -  these are not the velvet paintings of Elvis that you see at gas stations next to the guy selling a dozen roses for $3.99.  These are works of art.  A common thread (pun intended) is that these tapestries tell a story over a period of time.  Carole King delivered her second album in 1971 called Tapestry.  This is a great album that sold over 10,000,000 copies and is ranked #36 on Rolling Stone’s top albums of all time (name the top album without looking it up for a special prize).  The title song on the album speaks to the “Tapestry” of her life and is woven with full exposure.  It is there for all to see in all of its colors and images. 

Each day in teaching,  you are creating a “Tapestry” of your career that, surprisingly, you will never see.  Although you are the subject within the tapestry, you will never see the finished product.  In fact, there may be many tapestries woven about you dependent solely on the number of people you have touched, either positively or negatively.  This tapestry can only be seen by others that have come across your path. Each day, these same people are adding to your final product as time marches on. Your tapestry is being created for you by the students you have taught, the colleagues that you have worked with, and the parents of the students that you worked with.  What will yours look like?  Will your tapestry tell a tale of an excellent teacher, a difference maker, a great colleague, and an excellent partner?  Will it depict an educator that made learning fun?  Will it be of an educator who broke difficult concepts into understandable language?  Will it be of a teacher who made great relationships with his/her students? Will it be of a teacher who challenged students academically as well as socially, morally, and ethically?   Will it be full of expressions of thanks for touching someone’s life in ways that surpass the three R’s?  Will it show the kids that you carried off the field during your career?  What will it show?  Each day, the threads are passing through the loom in the eyes of many people.  Do understand that while you will never actually see the finished product, your tapestry is being woven in the minds of those you have encountered.