There is a misconception or assumption that exists in the education world. Simply put, it's that those that chose to become educators loved school and performed well in it. While that may be true for some it's a far cry from the truth for me.
When I was a student I wasn't motivated at all to perform well in school. I didn't graduate top of my class or anywhere close (something like 380 out of 1,000). I knew how to play the game so I wasn't too worried about things like class rank. As a good test taker, I knew that my SAT would conquer my lack of class rank and getting into a university would take care of itself. I found myself bored, uninspired and unengaged. The grades I made were more about staying out of trouble with my parents than about the learning. I particularly loathed reading in schools. Mostly because the books were often chosen for you, and they were almost always fiction. I prefer non-fiction. You went from class to class, red binder for ELA, blue for Math, green for Science and so on. School was boring, predictable and redundant. It was my lack of engagement in school that led me to want to become an educator. I thought that school could be more than what it was when I attended. I wanted to ask questions that didn't have the correct answers. I wanted dialogue with kids and make connections across contents. I wanted kids to be able to read the things they wanted to, not what they were told to. That same lack of engagement allowed me to foster relationships with students that others found challenging or difficult to have in class. I learned a lot (maybe not what a teacher wanted me to) in my time as a student. Above all, I learned a lot about what not to do. As educators we ought to cultivating more educators. Often times we do, just too often we only look to the ones who are engaged and excited to be at school. I challenge educators to consider kids that are like I was a student. Encourage them to become educators. Education could stand to gain some teachers with the perspective and experience that being disengaged in school offers.
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Wayne's World is a movie that always cracked me up. From the iconic scene of the characters lip-syncing Bohemian Rhapsody in the car to all the great one-liners it's certainly a movie that stands the test of time. The scene I posted above, while less memorable, got me thinking about the metaphor of going backstage and what it represents.
You see, everyone sees the show when they go to a concert. Some of us may sit a little closer than others but we all see and hear the same thing; and that thing is exactly what the artist wants us to hear. When you go backstage, however, the tale becomes different. You see things in their raw form, at their core, not something staged for a performance. So what's the tie in to education? Simple. Authentic learning. You learn so much more about your favorite musical artists backstage than you ever could at a show. That's why it's called a show and why shows like VH-1's behind the music (I know, I'm dating myself) Authentic learning is one of those buzz phrases that so many of us talk about, reflect on and try to implement into practice. It's a great idea, learning that reflects a real world application of what's being taught. The interesting thing though is that we often try to do this without being authentic ourselves. So, the question I ask is who has backstage passes to your life? If the answer is not your students, you're going struggle with authentic learning. You see, authentic learning has to come from an authentic source. If you're students don't view you as being authentic, they won't learn in authentic ways from you. Being authentic boils down really to evidence? What evidence do you have that supports you, the authentic person? For example, I tell kids all the time that I do what I do because I love and care about kids. What evidence do I have? I talk about my own kids and the epically awesome moments as well as those tough times where I struggled. I tell them about watching my son being taken straight to a NICU after he was born because he was not breathing regularly. I tell them about traveling halfway around the world to adopt a little girl I had never met. I tell them about how my son cracks me up when he says he wants a pet, and when I ask what kind he says "a yak!" I share my feelings, my struggles, the good and the bad. I'm authentic and I don't shy away from being that way. In other words, I give people a backstage pass to my life, I don't just put on a show. Looking for a way to strengthen and build relationships in your classroom or life as we begin a new year? Give kids a backstage pass into your life. You can do it and be age/content appropriate. I think you would be surprised that many kids have gone through similar circumstances to you. Once you conquer that you'll find new avenues for creating authentic learning experiences. You won't be disappointed. |
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January 2020
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