SKILLFUL MEANS

In teaching,
You are driving a bus
headed somewhere.

You know where you are headed,
but not everyone on the bus,
may want to go,
where you are going.

You don’t get to decide where they want to go.

But it will be beneficial,
to everyone on the bus,
to keep them calm and happy,
so everyone can arrive at their own destination.

When confronted with obstacles
you use skillful means
to work thru, around, under, over
whatever it is that comes up
For the benefit of everyone on the bus.

Sometimes you will need to go slow,
other times you will need to accept risk,
and speed up
For the sake of everyone, together.
Sometimes,
You may just need to
STOP.

You are not there
to tell them where to go.
Sometimes they may want to go
to a bad place.
You may suggest an alternative.
But if they insist,
you will need to let them off,
for the sake of the others on the bus

Driving a bus is tiring work.

Everyday,
Every group of people on the bus
Is different,
You can feel it.

Gradually,
you get to know what to expect,
but still,
new things happen every now and then.

Through it all,
you are there for them.

If you can finish the day,
knowing you did your best,
to help everyone get to
where they want to go,
then you will know.

You are a teacher.