I ran across this list developed in the 1960s by an artist and teacher Sister Corita Kent. I never heard of her, but her rules struck me as a way to consider how to live a more fruitful life as we move ahead in 2015.
Ten Rules for Students and Teachers
by Sister Corita Kent
HQ: You don’t have to be in a school to be a student or teacher. As the pace of change races, we are wise to embrace the idea that we have a lifetime of learning ahead. That requires us to always be learning and, when we are in the spot to do so, take up the responsibility as teacher.
RULE ONE: Find a place you trust, and then try trusting it for awhile.
RULE TWO: General duties of a student — pull everything out of your teacher; pull everything out of your fellow students.
RULE THREE: General duties of a teacher — pull everything out of your students.
HQ: pull out more from each other is a great idea. It calls us to recognize that we are accountable to encourage, help and admonish each other to be better teammates and colleagues.
RULE FOUR: Consider everything an experiment.
RULE FIVE: Be self-disciplined — this means finding someone wise or smart and choosing to follow them. To be disciplined is to follow in a good way. To be self-disciplined is to follow in a better way.
HQ: this description of self-discipline resonates. It reminds me of the importance of searching for a better way. We always have room for improvement. It’s self discipline that causes one to pursue improvement.
RULE SIX: Nothing is a mistake. There’s no win and no fail, there’s only make.
HQ: Our life is not a long list of success and victory. When reviewed, it is a sum of our steps forward and back.
RULE SEVEN: The only rule is work. If you work it will lead to something. It’s the people who do all of the work all of the time who eventually catch on to things.
RULE EIGHT: Don’t try to create and analyze at the same time. They’re different processes.
RULE NINE: Be happy whenever you can manage it. Enjoy yourself. It’s lighter than you think.
RULE TEN: “We’re breaking all the rules. Even our own rules. And how do we do that? By leaving plenty of room for X quantities.” (John Cage)
HINTS: Always be around. Come or go to everything. Always go to classes. Read anything you can get your hands on. Look at movies carefully, often. Save everything — it might come in handy later.
