It's not about the nail

January 23, 2017
Today's deep thought was inspired by a conversation with a co-worker, which inspired this tweet: https://twitter.com/mrshoadley/status/823706310134943744

"Ts ask me for advice &dismiss it. I don't know all there is about teaching. I'm passionate, always learning, improving. You should try it."

No really, if you don't want advice, please don't ask. If you are just looking to vent, I can understand that. Sometimes we all just need to vent. 

But do not start a conversation about some topic, ask for opinions and then completely disregard the opinions you asked for. 

First off it's annoying to those around you. 

Secondly, it's rude.  

And third, it makes people less likely to listen to you. 

I know I am not an expert teacher. But I am always learning, always looking at how to improve. I can't help it, that's how I'm wired. And when I don't know something or have a question, I start researching on my own! And not as part of some professional development goals, or some class I'm taking. There are great resources online, just go to the all knowing Google. Look up stuff, read, learn to decipher what's legit. 

Another idea might be to listen to those you ask questions of. 

And remember, it's not about the nail.

If you keep doing what you've always done...

January 20, 2017
"If you keep doing what you've always done...."
I see this often in education, teachers who have always taught a certain topic or idea in a certain manner. Why change? The thinking behind this why fix what isn't broken? But what if you are so entrenched in your own way of thinking and doing that you can't even see if things are broken?  Change is hard, we all know this, and  try to manage change but in a sneaky way that doesn't require us to actually change. We as teachers will go along with change if we can still keep doing what we've always done.

If you are lucky, you have administrators who actively encourage innovation and trying new things. But that's just talk unless you the teacher are willing to step out on that limb and take a chance.  Isn't that what we tell our students? Reach out, try, and don't be worried about the outcome.
Here are my steps for trying new things"

1. pick one thing you'd like to try
2. let go of what the outcome should be
3. let your students know you're trying something new and to patient
4. step out on that branch and try
5. be kind to yourself if it didn't work
6. research and try something else.

Why bother with this?
Because I feel that a big part of our job is to make our classes be a place where students feel safe trying things or attempting to answer hard questions. We need to model the behavior we wish to see.
EH