In the beginner's mind there are many possibilities, in the expert's mind there are few.
Every so often, we get a new person at tai chi. They come for a variety of reasons: to improve balance, to increase focus, maybe to be more healthy overall.
Today we had someone interested in improving their flexibility for their golf game. As we strolled into the studio, this person commented, “I suppose you all already know all the moves.”
I did not say anything as I don’t attend as frequently as my classmates. I’m glad I didn’t.
A regular looked at our guest and responded, “No, not really.”
At first, I felt myself disagreeing. You know all the moves of the long form, I thought. Yet the more I thought about it, what a smart response! Maybe we know the basics of a practice, but to truly become expert in something, we have to approach each experience with a fresh perspective. By evoking a beginner’s mind, we invite opportunities for continuous improvement.
This is not an argument against expertise. We need to build our practice and become efficient and effective in our work with students and teachers. Evidence shows that veteran educators are generally more effective than their less experienced colleagues. However, the challenge of experience is keeping an open mind for innovation.
When you give up being an expert, you give the work back to the people you are truly responsible for making it happen in the classroom. Only then will the change bring about schoolwide achievement.
After class the newcomer was wondering how much training people had. A few people demurred. “You could spend ten years learning two forms, and you might still be discovering new ways to improve them,” noted one classmate. Their practice was not their identify; rather, it was their mindset of constant renewal.
