Be a marigold, my friend
Back when I was just starting out as a teacher, I struggled a lot. Jennifer Gonzalez’s Cult of Pedagogy was a lifeline — I stole/borrowed many ideas from her to do everything from talk myself down after horrible classes or just to get lesson inspiration.
Above all, there is one concept she shared that has stuck with me ever since: the marigold effect
Here’s the analogy Gonzalez uses: Many experienced gardeners follow a concept called companion planting: placing certain vegetables and plants near each other to improve growth for one or both plants. For example, rose growers plant garlic near their roses because it repels bugs and prevents fungal diseases. Among companion plants, the marigold is one of the best: It protects a wide variety of plants from pests and harmful weeds. If you plant a marigold beside most any garden vegetable, that vegetable will grow big and strong and healthy, protected and encouraged by its marigold.
Her point? Go seek the marigolds around you and stay close to them. Because these are the people who will help you grow. In Gonzalez’s post, she focuses on teachers:
By finding the positive, supportive, energetic teachers in your school and sticking close to them, you can improve your job satisfaction more than with any other strategy. And your chances of excelling in this field will skyrocket.
I find what she says applies outside school too— as long someplace has humans, if you can find the marigolds, you will feel inspired. At the same time though, if you stick with a walnut, that’s trouble.
Why a walnut, you ask? Gonzalez’s reason is this:
Successful gardeners avoid planting vegetables anywhere near walnut trees, which give off a toxic substance that can inhibit growth, wilt, and ultimately kill nearby vegetable plants.
I’m sure you can already think of some walnuts in your midst. The point is not to judge them, but rather Gonzalez reminds us that that allowing ourselves to be influenced by walnuts is a step in the wrong direction. Before you go around on a purity hunt against walnuts though, here’s another bit you should be aware of:
Our search for marigolds will yield imperfect results: Not everyone is all-marigold or all-walnut tree.[…] Learn who has what marigold qualities and get what you can from each of them.
Finally, try to find some compassion for the walnut trees. Their toxicity comes from a place of real pain, and they themselves probably fell under the influence of the walnut trees who came before them.
Learn what you can from the marigolds or the semi-marigolds. Avoid the influence of walnuts. For your part, be a marigold, my friend.