We recently connected with James Reza and have shared our conversation below.
James, thank you so much for taking the time to share your lessons learned with us and we’re sure your wisdom will help many. So, one question that comes up often and that we’re hoping you can shed some light on is keeping creativity alive over long stretches – how do you keep your creativity alive?
My creativity largely comes from always staying teachable. Being a teacher, you could say that I’m around kids all the time, but you could also say I’m also around learning all the time. In my case, being creative is about keeping an open mind and open heart to new ideas, new concepts, new scenarios, and so forth, and always staying responsive to them.
Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?
Thanks for taking the time to look into what I do. I am a teacher and musician with a MS of Education in Instructional Leadership and a heart for human beings. In terms of creative projects, I am all over the place and it can be a lot to keep up with! Here are the main bullet points:
1) I am a musician, involved with several projects. I play guitar in a band called Brother Rabbit in Tulsa, I play percussion and tuba with an educational children’s music singer/songwriter Dino O’Dell (when he’s touring in my region), and I write and record Christian music geared toward children under the name Hey James. Hey James has a new record of identity-affirming songs called “It’s Good To Know Who I Am,” which is a re-imagining of my very first record, coming out this fall.
2) I am a teacher. I teach second grade in a town called Coweta, Oklahoma. We are a departmentalized school, and for my entire career up until now, I have taught reading and English language arts, but this year I am being moved to math, science, and social studies. I am feeling up to the challenge!
3) I am a journalist. I have done freelance work in the past, but currently I am more or less exclusively contributing to Interview Under Fire, which is a music and pop culture publication run by my brother Sonny. I write album and live music reviews, as well as occasionally co-hosting live interviews with musical artists.
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
Only three? Alright, I’ll give it a go!
1) Teachability. I can’t say enough about the importance of staying open to new ideas, and maybe even more importantly, new methods. I’ve found that wherever I am, there’s probably someone smarter than me in the building. Those people are not my competition – they are my support system. At every gig I’ve played in twenty-five years, there’s always been someone who can give me a few pointers on how to make my amp sound better or how to set up my drums more efficiently. And in education, even with a grad degree, experience seems to really carry the most valuable information with it, and there are always teachers who have been teaching longer than I have who can help make my job easier and more enriching.
2) Loyalty. Obviously, I’m not talking about sticking around in toxic or harmful relational situations, but I find that loyalty is a dying quality. Instead of giving your time and energy to the people who can help you get ahead, maybe think about giving back to the people who have helped you get where you are, or in some cases, who have just helped you survive. I am only going into my fifth year of teaching, and I work in a state and profession where I could work literally anywhere I wanted to. But the school I’m at really supported me and helped me work through those first few shaky years in the classroom, and I think it would be unspeakable to not give them some good, quality years of work now that I am finding my footing.
3) Consistency. Please don’t confuse this with rigidity because they aren’t the same thing. You want to be open to ideas and methodology, but your ethics, your purpose, and your vision need to stay the same. It’s a good thing when people know what to expect from you, and when they know you by a solid reputation.
As far as advice goes, I would say that paying back and paying forward are both really good ways to get clarity and perspective on these things. Re-contribute to your communities as often as you can. I believe that where your treasure is (whether monetary or otherwise), there your heart will be. It’s amazing what a little generosity with time, money, and or effort can do for clarity and meaning.
Who has been most helpful in helping you overcome challenges or build and develop the essential skills, qualities or knowledge you needed to be successful?
Communities are everything here. In the educational realm, I have a strong support system of fellow teachers, of selfless college professors, and invested families and parents. In the music world, I couldn’t possibly list all the people who have contributed to my growth. I have a strong church family that helps me to maintain a solid spiritual life full of continued grace and understanding. I have two great younger brothers and a younger sister who keep me focused and motivated every time I get to see them. Communities, on many different levels, have given so much, which is why I will continue to advise everyone to give back wherever possible! It’s for your own good, and for the good of generations to come!
Contact Info:
- Website: linkpop.com/mrjamesreza
- Instagram: @jamesrabbit
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@BrotherRabbitMusic
- Other: www.heyjamesmusic.com
Image Credits
Sonny Reza
