Homer Simpson Inspired me this Morning

Image credit:  OpenClips on Pixabay

The first week is in the books. I'm completely exhausted, but not in a bad way. It's that exhausted feeling that comes from knowing you have worked diligently toward a greater good. The feeling that you get when even though 90% of your waking hours have been physically, emotionally, and mentally committed to your career, it's okay because your career is your passion. In other words, I'm feeling that "good tired". 

So, how am I spending my first Saturday morning of the school year? Watching cartoons, of course! Not just any cartoon, mind you, but only the greatest cartoon ever made - The Simpsons. I woke up early and tuned in for FXX's Every Simpsons Ever Made marathon. Not only could this be the greatest 12 days of television in my life, it also has made me think about my class and the upcoming school year. This occurred during one of the commercials FXX aired advertising the Simpsons marathon (during the marathon - it's like a mirror reflecting a mirror reflecting a...you get the point). The ad contained one of my all time favorite Homerisms, "If there's one thing I don't like being taught, it's a lesson!"

I know, it takes a special kind of education nerd to be inspired by a quote from Homer Simpson. Laugh if you must. However, I was inspired by a quote from Homer Simpson. I mean, how can you not see the deeper meaning in these words? "If there's one thing I don't like being taught, it's a lesson!" How many of us felt the same way as students? How many of our students feel the same way today? This quote perfectly wrapped up my summer learning. All the research, reading, conferences, professional development and Twitter chats have led to this:  My students don't want to be taught a lesson, they want to experience learning.

Which leads to a bigger question - how do I make this happen? Unfortunately, in all his infinite wisdom, Homer made me think without giving me the answer. Wait a minute, did you catch that?  Homer made me think without giving me the answer. You've done it again, Mr. Simpson, because therein lies the solution to my problem. If I want my students to experience learning instead just teaching them the lesson, my lesson plans need to pose questions which require students to make connections, explore their surroundings, investigate, and ask questions of their own. Even more importantly, I have to release them to learn on their own and not rely on me. The answers to questions, mine or their own, must be discovered by my students. I must resist the temptation to swoop in and save the struggling learner immediately. If teachers give students the answers, or even too many hints, the learning will not be as personal and it will not become cemented in the learners' minds.

Of course, the solution to my question leads to more questions. What kinds of learning experiences lead to this student-driven form of education? What must I do to make sure my students don't feel like they are being taught a lesson?  This is what my blog is going to be about in the coming months. I have big plans. Plans which scare me. Plans I'm not sure I'm capable of accomplishing. However, these plans are what I believe to be best for children, motivating me to push past those fears I always have and do everything I can to improve my craft.  They include, but are not limited to, problem based learning, flipping my classroom, using the "un-conference" model I learned about this summer as a pattern for my centers and student learning, and incorporating Genius Hour with 4th graders.

This revolution may not be televised, but it will be blogged. I hope you continue to read and keep up to date with the successes and failures of my journey to making learning an experience. I also hope you will comment along the way with suggestions on what I can do better as I go. Join me as I stop teaching lessons and start creating experiences.