Learning

 Since our students were out today, our district decided it would be a great opportunity to develop the professionals with a little professional development.  You know, we all love those days.  They can either be really good or really bad.  We know within five minutes if we can happily stay all day or think about leaving all day.  I am happy to say that today was fantastic.  Not only did we laugh the entire time, but we learned the entire time as well.  What more could we ask for?  Donuts?  They were there too!  

Days like today remind me of how much I enjoy being taught.  And not just being taught, but being taught by enthusiastic educators that know how to engage learners... which was really what the whole day was about.  Engaging the learners.  This is a seemingly impossible task.  Sometimes I have no idea how to connect material to my students, and they don't care about my material if there isn't a connection.  What I've recently realized is that there were many classes in high school and college that I cared nothing about.  I did what it took to make the A, but I just didn't care past that.  Well now that I am an adult, and I make connections to history, English, and science all the time, I am just dying to learn more.  I'm dying to learn more about the courses I cared nothing about before.  I beg Derrick to talk about the Revolutionary War with me, when I daydreamed in history before.  I read books that were assigned to me in high school, when I just chose to read the Cliff's Notes before.  I discuss leaf collection projects with my students, wishing I could search for my very own leaves and acorns. (Dorky, I know.)  The truth is this... I am a mature learner now, and I just wasn't before.  When teachers were feeding me information, I wasn't taking it.  Now, I love learning more than ever, but I'm the one that has to do the teaching.  I'm the one staring into blank faces wishing I could make a connection.  Some connection.

The other day, a student said to me, "You know we would learn better if you paid us to be here."  Oh really? A free education and good grades aren't enough incentive to "learn better?"  I'm lost here.  These kids actually think we should pay them??  I have got to figure out a way to connect the amazing material I learned today to the kids that want to be paid to learn.  You know the only people that get paid to go to school are a select few amazing athletes... and even that is illegal.  I learned that on an ESPN special about SMU back in the 80s.  So sorry to let my students down, but I will not be paying them.  I will be teaching my heart out though.  I think every teacher dreams of making a positive impact, and I'm no different.

I hope today's consultant know's how impressive and successful he was.  What a great day!!