The other side of meetings

While I was an elementary teacher I sat through many many meetings in the library of our school. The majority of them were just among those of us who worked at the school. But occasionally we’d have someone from somewhere else come in and talk to us about some thing or another. They’re all still meetings though.

Yesterday however, I had a weird life moment. This semester I am teaching a child development course to a cohort of pre-service elementary teachers out in the elementary schools. They spend part of their week in college classes in an elementary school room. And then part of their week actually working with elementary classes and getting to try out what we teach them. Yesterday the professors had a meeting in the library of one of the associated elementary schools with the cooperating teachers to explain what they should expect from our students this semester.

About half-way through the meeting it dawned on me – I’m one of the visiting experts. Me? An expert? When in the world did that happen? I know what I teach and I’d like to think I’m pretty darn good at it. I’m having a lot of fun with the class so far. But there are so many things I still don’t know, and then so many things I don’t even know I don’t know. How can I be an “expert”?

It’d be nice if life changes like that didn’t sneak up on me.