Month: February 2018

The other day I was driving in the car with my 12-year-old son, Maddox.  He was under a blanket listening to someone talk about a sinking ship.  Because my son is self-proclaimed Titanic historian, I assumed it was another video about the Titanic.  When I asked him, he said it was actually about the  Costa Concordia.  Huh?

He explained to me this was a cruise ship that sank off the coast of Tuscany in 2012 and at least 11 people were killed.  The captain was charged with causing the ship to sink and abandoned his ship.  

I sat in silence for a few minutes because Maddox was watching a documentary ON HIS OWN.  He wasn’t sitting in a classroom with four walls and desks in straight rows, he was curled up in the car with a blanket over his head and absorbing every bit of information he could get.  

I asked why he was watching it, thinking maybe he had a project in school he has to research.  Nope, he just said he liked to watch all things involving cruise ships and what happens when they sink.  Because really, what boy doesn’t want to watch every documentary they can get their hands on?

It made me reflect on something I heard someone say, although I can’t remember who.

The statement was simple.  

YouTube is where your kids are learning more than they are in schools.  

Whoa!  Is this true?  Did my kid just prove it?

How many of us have “YouTubed” how to do something?

How many of us have “YouTubed” something in history we wanted more information?

Have you ever “YouTubed” a speaker or a presenter to learn something new?

My son has immersed himself in learning about a topic he is interested in and has probably learned more just by watching YouTube videos.  He also has a favorite “YouTuber” that I’ve watched with him who is actually a great role model for positive character.  My daughter has used YouTube to learn how to do her makeup, create a DIY project and get ideas for photography.  

So, if our children can learn something at their fingertips, how are we providing something different?  Students can access knowledge level in many different ways.  If we know this to be true, how do we rethink how we teach and design lessons?  

The world is changing indeed.

Every year our district hosts a district-wide professional learning day called the Andover Instructional Framework Conference.  This year we had a tremendous opportunity to hear from Jeff Charbonneau as our keynote speaker.  Jeff is the 2013 National teacher of the year and is both a teacher and an administrator.  In short, he’s the real deal.

Jeff’s message was clear.  What questions should we be asking as educators?  He discussed 12 questions, and all of them resonated with me.  But there was one in particular that really had me thinking.  

The question?

When was the last time you were nervous?

The answer to this question for me was instantaneous.  Every. Single. Day.

Mr. Charbonneau went on to say that if you aren’t nervous, then you aren’t bringing your ‘A’ game.   This reminded me of one of my favorite quotes.  “You can be comfortable or courageous, but you can’t be both.”  -Unknown

I know that I’m comfortable with risk-taking, change and failing forward but I also know that not everyone is and that’s perfectly ok as long as you aren’t digging your heels in resistant to trying anything.

People will always resort to what is easy because it is comfortable and as humans, we like comfort.  I get it, I’m comfortable NOT becoming better at running because it’s tough for me!  I’m slow as a turtle so a turtle I will stay.

However, I’m not ok with not growing as a person, educator or mother, so I push myself out of my comfort zone all the time.  Sometimes I succeed, sometimes I fail, but I always learn, more so when it’s hard.

I hope my teachers know that I support any effort they have to be nervous and uncomfortable.  I hope they know its ok to grow at different times and in different ways.  I hope they know it’s ok to take risks.  I hope they know it’s ok to fail forward.  Most of all, I hope they know I will support them every step of the way.  

Growth will never come from playing it safe.

So I ask you when was the last time you were nervous?