The moment Mimi Holmes experienced GAB, she fell in love.
“Guided Autobiography entered my life when I signed up for a class through MCE taught by GAB instructor Diane Nimmer the Fall of 2018. I guess you could say that’s where I fell in love with the method that is Guided Autobiography,” she said. “Take a theme and write a thousand words. This worked so well for me that I started looking online for more about Guided Autobiography.”
She was then certified as a GAB instructor in February of 2019.
Yet teaching hasn’t been so easy.
“The challenges I face as a GAB instructor are getting new classes started. Because I currently have three continuing classes of students which meet every other week, it becomes hard to find a time when I can offer a 7 week GAB, Part One class,” she said. “Because I started with OLLI (Osher Lifelong Learning Institute), I continue to schedule my classes in OLLI terms of Fall, Winter and Spring and follow their times of not teaching to plan my travel. Sometimes it can take a year to arrange for a time that meets interested students’ schedules. On the other end, some students want to keep going, past 55 classes, when I quit giving them themes.”
Although there are challenges, the experience is still worthwhile.
“I wasn’t paid to teach through OLLI, but I figured that OLLI was letting me learn by teaching this class,” she said.
Her love for GAB only flourished more over time.
“Teaching Guided Autobiography for almost 5 years now, I love hearing the stories of how each person made their choices and lived their lives; the understanding about themselves that each student comes to have as they write their stories down and reflect on their journey,” she explained.
Through the teaching process, she has learned some lessons.
“I have learned I don’t want to teach a class of 16 students any more, because I want to hear all the stories of the participants in my classes! And so do the students,” she said. “Everyone’s stories improve more rapidly when exposed to hearing a variety of stories with different techniques. I have come to see that 5 is the magic number for a two-hour class.”
She also has found a platform that works for her.
“I live in Minneapolis and have come to love teaching on Zoom,” she said. “That first class through OLLI, I had to arrive at least 90 minutes early to cart in my big box of GAB materials, set up tables and chairs, start the coffee, and greet students. So much easier to attach handouts to email and not have to drive to a location, especially during Minnesota winters!”
“I learned that teaching Guided Autobiography is my happy place, and a great activity for my ‘retirement.’ My age is 67 and I will not be doing a ‘turning 70’ project,” she said. “I am just going to keep writing my stories down.”
Find out more about Mimi Holmes and how to work with her at her website: www.mimiholmeswritingourstories.com