Friday, July 10, 2015

What we know vs. what we do...

We know extrinsic motivators and 'carrots' aren't the most effective means for long term and sustainable changes in behavior yet our schools are littered with rewards and 'if you do this, you get this' situations.

We know kids respond better when given opportunities to move and when physical activity is included all throughout the course of the school day yet most schooling experiences result in kids sitting most of the day.

We know strict and zero tolerance discipline policies aren't the most effective when working with our most challenging students yet many districts have policies that restrict educators and force them to assign ineffective, often damaging, and harmful punishments.

We know the value of reflection and simply getting the time to think yet we don't provide any time in the school day for kids to process and explore their thoughts.

We know the world is changing rapidly but yet far too often we cling to teaching to and focusing on outdated skills and information that are no longer the most vital and/or necessary.

We know relevance is a key component to student learning and student engagement but we keep missing out on opportunities for kids to positively influence and impact their local communities and serve the greater good by solving real problems affecting people around the world.

In closing, my challenge for all educators moving forward is to take some of the things we know are best for kids and ensure that our actions align...