You know what? Originally, I wanted to be an English teacher. I like to think I would have been pretty good at it.
I was inspired by several incredible teachers of my own (Connie Cutler, Linda Munson, Kathy Watson, Kathy Altaras, Larry Thompson…) to teach English for high school or university students.
Then I got side-tracked by swing dancing and I’ve been doing that for a couple of decades. For many years there at the beginning, I felt like a failure because I didn’t go down the path I had originally planned on…
Funny thing, though: I think I’m still teaching a language. I still feel like I’m helping people communicate better with each other. I think I’m being given the chance to share a communication skill that works best with people who are interested in a conversation between interested partners, rather than reciting a monologue at each other. Or just showing off a list of words and phrases.
To the teachers who impacted my life, as listed above: THANK YOU. You gave me a great life. I thank you from the bottom of my heart. And if my life has impacted anyone else since learning from you all, I want you to know…it comes directly from you. I would not be here without you.
This is my Standing-On-My-Desk moment, saying “O Captain/ My Captain”
–Peter Flahiff (June 2018)
Peter and Lauren 