This Moment Matters: Inspiration for Teachers and Directors
Dear Teachers and Directors,
September is here, and with it, the whirl of fresh ideas, new faces, and the kind of fatigue that only the start of a school year can bring. I see you, already racing to keep up, pouring yourself out for the students you love so fiercely. But here’s the thing: this love note is for you.
We spend so much time reminding our students that they are enough—worthy, creative, and capable. But do we remember that we are enough, too? We stress to them that mistakes are part of the journey, yet we hold ourselves to a level of perfection that even we know is impossible. So, I’m here to tell you, you are enough. Right now, as you are. You are the heart of your classroom, your rehearsal space, your creative community.
In the midst of lesson plans, rehearsals, and logistical chaos, here’s something to hold close to your heart:
Let’s flip the script.
• Teach with your heart, not your clipboard. The magic doesn’t live in the lesson plan. It’s in the eye contact, the inside jokes, the awkward silence before a breakthrough. You aren’t just guiding a curriculum or a show—you’re crafting moments that stay with them long after the curtain closes.
• Let the mess be your masterpiece. You know those rehearsals where everything goes wrong? Where nothing works, and the energy is off, and you think, ‘This is a disaster?’ Well, that mess? That’s where the magic is hiding. Growth happens in the cracks, not in the polished perfection.
• Let them see you sweat. We don’t have to be untouchable superheroes for our students. Let them see your humanity—your uncertainty, your vulnerability. It teaches them that bravery isn’t about having no fear; it’s about doing the thing anyway, messy heart and all.
• Drop the boulder. You are not Atlas. The world will keep spinning even if you forget a prop or miss a deadline. Your worth isn’t tied to what you get done today. Don’t carry the weight of perfection on your shoulders—it’s too heavy for anyone to bear.
• Speak life into your own dreams. You spend every day watering the dreams of others, nurturing the seeds of creativity in your students. But what about you? Make room for your own dreams to grow. Hold them sacred, even in the midst of the busy. Your dreams deserve the light too.
• Be right here, right now. Not planning, not wishing to go home, not thinking about buying groceries or casting the show. This moment. This imperfect, unfinished, messy moment is the one that counts. It’s where life is happening. Lean into it. Let yourself breathe in the present—because this is where the real magic lives.
• Don’t fix it—feel it. Not everything can or should be fixed. Sometimes, the most powerful thing you can do is sit in the discomfort, the confusion, and the chaos. Allow yourself to feel it all. It’s in that space that true inspiration takes root.
You are more than the roles you play for others. You’re more than the director, the teacher, the problem-solver. You are a whole human, deserving of the same care and space that you give to your students. Trust that the work you’re doing, even when it feels small or unnoticed, is already moving mountains.
So, as the year unfolds, remember this: you are enough, right now. The person you are today—imperfect, exhausted, inspired, unsure—is exactly who your students need. Trust that, and lean into it.
With love and deep gratitude,
Erin
