The 'Why'... it's always about the 'why'...
People ask it all the time, kids ask it every minute (it feels like!) some days... WHY?
When I talk with teachers, when I talk with students, it is what drives everything... WHY?
If students can't explain 'why' they are doing something, then where is the agency? Did they actually ever have anything to do with the process,
or was the learning imposed on them? We don't like being told or front-loaded as adults, so why do we still have students who don't understand or share in the construction of the 'why'?
I have titled this blog 'Leading The Long Way Around' because that's what I do, every day, whether as a teacher or a leader. The SHORT way round is to TELL. The short way round is to do it for you. The short way round is to let you know pretty quickly that I have all the answers, I know all the best solutions, I know what you need to do and learn and know BEST.
Taking the long way around means being a guide, not a sage. It means repeating those famous three words over and over again... I DON'T KNOW - even if I do! And going the long way around means trusting that the learners have all the resources in play that they need so that they can identify their next steps, create learning pathways for how to get there, and that they will know what it looks like when they arrive. And it doesn't matter who the learner is - student or teacher.
Join me on my merry way as I explore the long way around. You never know - you may end up loving the journey too.
When I talk with teachers, when I talk with students, it is what drives everything... WHY?
If students can't explain 'why' they are doing something, then where is the agency? Did they actually ever have anything to do with the process,
or was the learning imposed on them? We don't like being told or front-loaded as adults, so why do we still have students who don't understand or share in the construction of the 'why'?
I have titled this blog 'Leading The Long Way Around' because that's what I do, every day, whether as a teacher or a leader. The SHORT way round is to TELL. The short way round is to do it for you. The short way round is to let you know pretty quickly that I have all the answers, I know all the best solutions, I know what you need to do and learn and know BEST.
Taking the long way around means being a guide, not a sage. It means repeating those famous three words over and over again... I DON'T KNOW - even if I do! And going the long way around means trusting that the learners have all the resources in play that they need so that they can identify their next steps, create learning pathways for how to get there, and that they will know what it looks like when they arrive. And it doesn't matter who the learner is - student or teacher.
Join me on my merry way as I explore the long way around. You never know - you may end up loving the journey too.
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