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This Much I Know Is True

March 01, 2019 - 4 minute read


Raising hands to ask questions

As a lifelong educator with experience as a classroom teacher in grades K – 8, a site administrator, an adjunct faculty member, and now a program director, there have been a wealth of valuable insights that have given me a greater breadth and depth of understanding, which I will collectively call–This Much I know Is True. In essence they are the core foundations instrumental in shaping my pedagogical practice and leadership philosophy.

Of the thousands of students that have cycled through my classrooms/schools during my career, I’ve often wondered, which aspects of the educational system helped shape who they became as adults. What credo do they now live by? How do they deal with the daily challenges they confront? Was it a first-hand experience or a passive observation that left its mark? Could it have been a book that rocked their foundational values? Did someone else’s vicarious story resonate within to invoke deep seated memories? Was it a reflective pause about a missed opportunity or moment of great pride that conjured up a new perspective? Can a conversation with a stranger unlock new insights and further inquiry leading to a powerful learning connection, count? In my experience, all of these (and more) were critical in a student’s development and self-actualization. And while every person’s journey is unique, there are without a doubt a number of themes I have picked up while on the front lines.

Permit me to share a couple of “truths” I have learned, lived by, and wish to pass on.

Next Question

I contend there is no more important skill a student can learn than asking the next question. Asking the next question requires a certain level of comprehension of the topic to recognize what you know, as well as a sounder understanding of what you don’t know. Learning a new answer or grasping a new concept is meaningless if a student is not posed to inquire: Now that I know this what is the next thing I have to learn? How does this new information connect to something I already know or want to know more about? Who is someone I can ask about this topic to help me clarify my gaps? Where can I find more information to gain a broader perspective?

Learning is not a finite activity; it is an endless open door to gain deeper and greater understanding. Ironically, the more you learn, the more you realize the less you know. In reality, the sooner a student realizes that life is more about the questions than the answers, the sooner he or she will be an evolved learner. Being too quick to seek the right answer stifles a student from knowing the interconnections that the answer offers for deeper clarity and practical application.

A strategy I employed as an administrator was encouraging my teachers after a completed assignment to ask the students to brainstorm the next three questions they wanted to learn more about. These questions would then be posted in the class so everyone could see what was driving their peers thinking and could identify areas of shared interest or new correlations to consider.

The Video Camera Is Always Running

Studies show the average age a child gets a smartphone is 10.2 years old, which means now–more than ever–the video camera is always rolling (literally). And while there are 224 million devices in the US that can capture HD-quality sound, sight and motion, the truth is that our actions have always been in someone’s purview and have always been mentally recorded – even before the proliferation of technology.

Everyone has their mental camera running at all times, processing what they are seeing and drawing their own perceptions and conclusions. And I’m sure you’ve heard the adage – perception is reality. So if unwanted snippets are captured, it is difficult to re-spin someone’s perception. In a 2001’s groundbreaking study, “Bad Is Stronger that Good,” psychologists found that it takes 5+ positive interactions to erase a single negative one. An “I’m sorry” has little impact–it must be a sincere and genuine interface to start the healing.

We as educators take note of this–because we are always on stage. Anyone that interacts within the larger school community needs to take heed of this veracity because first opinions are hard to change. Be it a patient teacher re-teaching an unmastered concept for the third time; an administrator calmly handling an innocuous situation on the playground; the office manager respectfully welcoming a visitor on site; the custodian smiling while cleaning the campus - someone is always watching. And while it is important to stay authentic and genuine in your interactions, it’s also crucial to be aware the video camera is always rolling and capturing a story.

In a series of future articles I will share other “This Much I Know is True” personal observations. Among the topics to be addressed will include: Multi-age Is Life and Life Is Multi-age, The Less You Try to Control the More Influence You Have, Seek First to Understand Before Being Understood, and others such learned nuggets.

Thomas Cooper has been a lifelong educator for nearly 50 years and over his career he has gained a wealth of insights and innovations that he wants to pass on. Currently, he is the Director of the Professional Resource Center at Concordia University Irvine.

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