Mentoring Luke

By Don Weinhouse

 

Following is a free association of thoughts, reflections and future projections based on my recent experience mentoring a young juggler in his early stages of development.

 

Having spent the past 25 years in education, as a teacher, school administrator, and now professor of education, I have a pretty solid understanding of the various factors involved in the teaching / learning process. This understanding, combined with more than 20 years of juggling experience, the last five of which have included many dozens of professional engagements at school assemblies and corporate parties, make me something of an expert - even if just in my own mind - in the area of talent development.

 

It is based on this back­ground that I share my observations relating to:

 

1) mentoring a very talented young juggler;

2) the magical and beautiful process of motor learning, and

3) considerations when setting goals and objectives for one's juggling, performing, and life.

 

It was less than a year ago that I met Luke. At the time he was 13 years old and had been juggling for about a year. Seeing him performing before a handful of young children at a local fair, with his suitcase full of homemade props and his wild, excited, creative mix of raw skills, intrigued me. There I stood, a seasoned, successful, professional juggler and entertainer, watching a much younger, much less skilled juggler entertain. "This kid is really raw, but he sure has guts and potential," went through my mind, as I decided to introduce myself.

 

When his act ended I stepped forward and handed him my card:

    "Dr. Don The Juggling Minstrel."

 

As I might have expected, his eyes lit up, and his expression read as clearly as any page of text I had ever seen, "My GOD, a real juggler, a professional, here, watching me, uh-uh­uh..." We spoke a few words and before part­ing I casually said, "Give me a call, maybe we can get together and juggle sometime."

 

Well, he did call, and, over the past few months we've juggled together on a number of occasions. I've shared articles and videos with him; told him stories of conventions, performances and encounters with famous jugglers; given him some of my old equipment; and taught him a number of tricks and advised him on technique and style. I guess you might say I've "mentored" him.

 

Having spent my entire adult life as a teacher, of both children and adults, my role as a "mentor" seemed quite natural. Natural, but very different from all the other teaching experiences I have been involved with over the years. Different, because this was and is the first time in my life I have been aware of having one of my students surpass me (I'm sure it has happened before, but this is the first time I've been aware of it.)

 

Yes.  I, the 20 year, $100+ per hour performer in front of hundreds of people, successful, mature, "master," have been surpassed in juggling skills by a kid. Not only have I been surpassed, but, despite the fact that I practice/play every bit as hard and often as my young "mentee" - about 3-4 hours a week - he is learning new skills about 1,000,000 times faster than me.

 

Very fortunately, my 47 years of life experiences have brought me to a rather comfortable and confident point; a point were I am able to appreciate my abilities and feel optimistic about my future as a juggler, despite occa­sional and probably unavoidable comparisons my mind makes between young Luke's skills and my own:

 

· I juggled 3 and 4 objects for over 10 years before ever trying to keep 5 in the air....

 

When I met Luke he was just experimenting with 4 balls and 4 clubs, and now, a few months later, he is working on 5 clubs, 6 rings and 7 balls!

 

· I've been spinning and rolling balls for over 10 years, and am able to evoke "oooows, and ahhhhhs" from most audiences with these skills.... In the past six months Luke has developed from the beginner level - spinning a ball on one finger - to a multitude of complex tricks, including changing fingers, changing hands, under the leg transfers...

 

. For the past 3 years I've been working diligently with my fancy, expensive, silicone balls, trying to learn to transition back and forth from a cas­cade bounce to a force bounce to juggling in the air. It's been coming along slowly, very slowly, but I'm a patient person, and have been satisfied with the meager gains I've been making....Young Luke, on the other hand, with his $2, flat, irregular, rubber balls, and only a few months of practice, is doing nearly as well as I.

 

What does it all mean? I'm not sure, but following is my interpretation.

 

First of all, I think its real important, both as a juggler and as a human being, to focus comparisons on myself, "How am I doing compared to myself? Am I improving or am I stagnant?" rather than comparing myself to others.

 

Secondly, I'm reminded of the importance of encouraging potential in individuals (including ourselves!) as early in their lives as possible. Seeing how fast Luke picks up new skills and how slowly I learn the same skills reminds me that the human neuro-muscular system, while able to function for 100+ years, learns much more quickly and efficiently in the first quarter-century than in the second; more quickly in the second quarter century than the third; and so on. If we want to learn something new, or help someone else learn something new, the sooner we or they get started at it the easier it will be.

 

Finally, I've reminded myself of something I already knew, but often need reminding of. As a juggler and as a person I can always learn new things, but I need to realize that if I choose to venture into new, personally uncharted realms (e.g. buy and learn new props, master new tricks, study another language...), my growth and development may be slower now than it was a few years ago.

 

Forty-seven years old is by no means too late in life to start the diabolo, learn a new three ball trick, or learn to speak Japanese. I can do any one or all of these things, but I need to remember that I probably won't be able to learn these things nearly as quickly and easily as I learned the devil sticks and a variety of three ball tricks 20 years ago, or developed my vocabulary in the German language over 30 years ago. Time and energy - how much do you have and where do you want to focus it?

 

In summary, I present the following, easy for me to say but hard for you and me  to do recommendations:

· compare yourself only to yourself

· keep working, trying, learning, and improving, but, in the meantime, be happy with who you are and what you have

.become a mentor - share your skill and knowledge

. learn lots of new tricks and skills when you're younger (remembering that each of us is "younger" now than we will be in the future - duhh!), and then, as you get older, focus on improving / mastering the many areas you've begun

 · ignore whichever of the above recommendations don't fit you.

 

Good luck!