Recognizing Frieren: Learning First, Teaching Later
How an elf mage reminded me of what it means to teach what you love…
So this month, my new obsession has become the wonderfully crafted anime named Frieren, thanks to my boyfriend helping me expand my anime tastes and exposure. I had started this anime skeptical - it was the high fantasy genre, not a genre that I’ve historically always become obsessed with or interested in.
If you’re not into anime, don’t worry, this entire post won’t center around anime but rather on a theme in the anime - so stick with me if you outgrew anime at the age of 8 (the rest of us are undiagnosed but pretty sure, and most likely have abysmal health insurance, so we just bask in our hyper focuses we never quite outgrew).
I wanted to just have some background noise on and I assumed I would just fall asleep during the first episode - but, I paid attention for 2 minutes, then I got sucked in. I was in for it with this anime because of the main character, Frieren. (Which, fun fact, means “Frozen” in German.) Frieren is an elf in this high fantasy genre anime, and there are other Tolkien adjacent creatures in the anime, such as:
Dwarves
Mages
Monsters
Demons
And, of course - dragons 🐉
I became invested in the anime after my boyfriend was poking fun at a number of similarities the main character and I seemed to share. She’s not always the best in social situations, she’s rather blunt, off in her own little world, mostly concerned about collecting more grimoires, perfecting her mage abilities and most definitely unconcerned with building friendships and even more unconcerned with taking on students or apprentices.
Unexpected Similarities…
The story arc that also drew me in, besides the fact that she wasn’t typical cutesy anime girl looking for a lover boy, was her story arc as a reluctant teacher/coach (or whatever the equivalent of it would be in this anime). If you know anything about me, you know I’m also a teacher and coach - but what you may not know was that it wasn’t something I originally wanted to do.
This certainly reminded me of the early years of my teaching journey. I was originally moved from musical arts program to music education after my piano performance audition for Penn State’s School of Music - quite frankly, it didn’t seem like I could get it together to perform in front of people, but I didn’t like that shift because I also had little patience for teaching. Watching the stress that teachers deal with trying to inspire less than enthusiastic students to learn did not look like a way that I wanted to live my life.
Spoiler alert: My profession chose me, rather than me choosing my profession.
Something else I enjoyed about the way the character Frieren was written, was that she was obsessed with learning new magic spells from grimoires - to the point that she would get stuck in mimics (trick treasure boxes) looking for rare grimoires - so, basically, getting herself in precarious situations just to learn more.
I related to this, so hard - anyone who is friends with me, follows my social media, or takes a glance at any of my blog posts knows my obsessions with certain niche topics will drive anyone who is in regular communication with me to the edge of their sanity.
For example: There is no one, besides me, rather than perhaps anthropologists and ancient historians who know about the Yamnaya and Corded Ware peoples of ancient times (two of my friends reading this blog probably cackled upon reading that phrase and remember that very distinct week in August).
Completely impractical and seemingly useless knowledge, but lit up my life for the entire month of August in 2024. Guess what? No one else cared. Frieren would be proud, as she collected grimoires that were forgeries of her original teacher’s grimoires. Completely impractical, but she does it, and cleans an entire harbor for a village in order to get it. Why? It’s just a thing she likes to do.
But first, learning!
But that obsessive love of learning reminded me that most teachers are often reluctant ones, and often love learning first (especially professors). My first love, like Frieren, is learning - not teaching. Teachers are often first, learners. The nerds. The geeks, the kids you stuffed in lockers. I always started loving what I was doing and studying, and being simply obsessed with it. Music, language, martial arts - I just wanted to be good at these things I fell in love with and have adept skill at something that fascinated me. Now, here I am, teaching the three things I love:
Piano/voice
English/Biblical Hebrew
Jiu jitsu
Listen… Teaching these subjects? Coaching them? That was never the goal. I was obsessed and passionate about them; I didn’t want to teach them nor ever had aspirations to teach.
However, if you love something and it has transformed you, you owe a debt to it. The debt we pay to learning is teaching; it’s the necessary next step if something you loved learning about has consumed you. For us reluctant teachers, this teaching revitalizes us and forces us to see our subject we thought we knew everything about in a different light as we share it with others.
Additionally, I didn’t expect that my students would have taught me things in return; teaching has changed my life much in the same way it did for Frieren when she reluctantly decided to take on Fern as her apprentice. The way the character Frieren is written reminds me of myself, in that the connection and rewards that come from seeing students grow and being able to accomplish something that they weren’t able to previously do is rewarding and fulfilling; but it wasn’t the original goal.
An honest confession…
Sometimes I felt guilty that I couldn’t say I always dreamed of being a teacher and I have this pure altruistic streak within me - then, I saw the way Frieren was written, and the character’s approach to reluctant teaching resonated with me, along with how her apprentice began to change her in subtle ways.
The appreciation and mutual support I’ve received from my students has brought a lot of good things into my life. I’ve learned about many different cultures, types of music genres my piano kids have wanted to learn - the adventures teaching has taken me on was beyond what I ever thought possible.
My students have opened my mind, challenged what I thought was true, and surprised me with adorable cards and gifts on days I felt completely drained. If it weren’t for my students, I wouldn’t have started jiu jitsu and judo. If I think about it fully, I’d almost say my students have changed my life drastically.
Frieren was also inspired to view life in a different light by her student, Fern, in the anime - much like my students did with me. Frieren becomes a bit more open to helping others, and not being so distant and goes on yet another adventure she was not expecting.
While working with Fern, Frieren starts having a healthier routine - and, oh boy, my boyfriend lovingly teases me about how my students keep me structured as well. What I wouldn’t give to act like I could live for a thousand years and sleep until 1 pm, or neglect all social structures and connections to deep dive into a useless niche topic.
Don’t worry, students: you are loved
If you have been one of my students and you’re reading this, rest assured, I pushed myself beyond my comfort zone and beyond what I thought I was capable of to help you achieve your goals. What I wasn’t expecting, however (which I think Frieren would also admit to after 300 years of stuffing it down in a tidy little box and ignoring it), was that my students would be teaching me as well.
One last note of love from a reluctant teacher: Sometimes, you all still drive me nuts - as I’m sure I also drive you nuts with my nagging and obsessive perfectionism, but it’s all worth it for the adventure of learning, making memories and connections, and expanding your understanding in the end - wherever that journey may take you.