Happy New Year!
In case you’re an educator and you’re looking for one more resolution this year, how about something along the lines of: “In my classroom (or my school) this year, I resolve to be a learner first and a teacher second.”
Today, the most important role that an adult can play in a classroom is “Learner in Chief,” someone who is constantly learning about learning. Someone who knows more than anyone else about learning (which really has to be your expertise, now that the Internet knows more than you do about your subject matter.) Someone who knows deeply what learning is, how it really happens, and what conditions are required.
Sure, you can resolve to read more books and articles about learning. But a better place to start is to learn more about how your students learn. To talk to them about learning, about how they learn and about what they want to learn. To develop real empathy for how they experience it. To see them as young learning apprentices who seek to learn about learning from you.
In other words, this year, be the master learner in your classroom.
Every day in our interactions with kids we have an amazing opportunity for us to learn more about learning. Let’s resolve this year not to let that opportunity pass.
Sincere best wishes for an amazing 2019!
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