#366: SPOTLIGHT: Ryan Oakes
Question for Ryan:
There is an idea that we can learn from every single person on the planet. But there are also deeply ingrained habits we have been trained in that “teachers” have a formal designation which might limit our scope for learning. With that thought, does someone come to mind in the past five weeks that you wouldn’t consider a “formal” teacher at all but who you learned something special from… (perhaps even someone you aren’t even fond of) ?
Ryan's Response:
As a parent trying to raise two inquisitive children, I always find myself grateful for the times my parents encouraged me to be curious. They urged me to ask questions in every setting, and direct them at all the people I met… always searching for a teaching moment. Consequently, I never looked solely upon my formal teachers as my only “teachers” but rather the many people I interacted with as a child and teenager. My dad particularly urged me to look at every interaction as a moment to learn from. To this day, I find myself in often new conversations attempting to be the one asking more questions than answering.
I looked for my own teachers, and I was lucky enough to find a special one in a newly-retired magician in my hometown who used his newfound time to teach me magic and sleight-of-hand. He became my greatest teacher, and an unlikely close friend with more than 60 years between us.
I’m now 45 and I look back on the various mentors and teachers I had with much admiration, and find myself wishing for more opportunities to be a teacher or even mentor to others. Not only because I wish to pay it forward as was given to me, but because I’ve also unlocked insights into a more powerful teaching instrument in my life: MY SELF. As I perhaps know but rarely get to fully embrace, teaching others often leads me to better understand what I'm teaching, or helps me discover new insights. Teaching my children has forced me to better understand subjects, be better prepared for ethical or moral debates, and shown me a mirror in many enlightening ways. Occasionally I’m in a position to help young magicians find their way within the art of magic or within the entertainment field; all of those conversations lead me to better understand my positions and my own goals moving forward. Some say the best education is experience, and that perhaps is part of my equation here…. It’s one thing to listen and absorb knowledge, however it’s another thing to articulate it to others, or put it into practice in a test situation.
It’s easy in a place like NYC to find teachers, where interesting and diverse people are everywhere, however it’s harder to find people to teach, despite the needs of those around us. My goal in this last quarter of 2023 is to continue to find others to share my knowledge with, in hopes that sharing that knowledge will evolve to a more nuanced understanding and more thorough grasp of the material.
It’s a proven model in love, emotional support, and friendship, and I think it’s true in teaching as well: giving is really the best way to receive.
Ryan, there was so much from your writing that resonated, but particularly your mention of putting knowledge into practice in a test situation stood out to me. A new insight truly registered for me a few days ago when I put the idea into action. I was listening to Brynne and Pip's podcast with Holly Grant, where Holly shares such an interesting interpretation of the Beatles' song Let It Be. Her thoughts regarding the lyrical meaning were extremely profound and I paused and took some notes. But it was when I actually put one of her ideas into practice last week on a difficult occasion that I was able to fully make sense of them. By implementing an insight in a real personal experience, it led to an even deeper understanding that I know will stick with me. Thank you Ryan for sharing your thoughts and how your parents' encouragement at a young age has shaped your earnest curiosity and sheer desire to teach and learn to this day.
- AP