I love this quote, and I think it is a great reflection
piece for over the weekend.
One of the burdens that we carry as educators is that every
kid that we are over reaches their full learning potential. We want to make sure they leave us with all
the knowledge and all the skills that are possible. We truly want them to be successful in all
that we do….that is a lot of pressure…that is a big burden. But, there is for sure another way to look at
it. We primarily have a job to inspire
and to create a thirst for knowledge for our students. We don’t necessarily have to show them “what
to see” as much as “where to look.”
What a child will “see” or learn will surprise you. Investigation is the way we all learn
best. If you touch the stove and it
hurts, you don’t touch the stove again.
If I want to see how a clock works, I have to take it apart. Trial/Error and exploration give us the
motivation for learning. Our kids need
to have time to explore, time to research, and time to mess up. In a video game, if I die because a stalactite
fell on me while in the gloomy cavern level, then I will quickly learn to watch
out next time. Does is shake before it
falls? Can I run under? I am more aware of what is going on.
The same is true of our learning….if we mess up, and we have
to go back and fix it, we are more aware…we pay better attention. I have heard of basketball coaches that make
the player that misses a shot stay exactly where they are on the court. If the ball can be rebounded offensively,
then they get the next shot. Many times,
that player is most likely to make it because he felt the “wrong shot” and can
correct it. He is more likely to make it
if given the second chance.
I hope this weekend
you think of a couple practical ways to point a child’s eyes to
learning.
Happy Friday!
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