Students can adapt

This past weekend I went skiing for the first time, yep you read that right, a 31 year old out on the slopes for the first time. My knees are intact, my pride-not so much. I did realize a few things though, as the young children were flying by me. Children have less fear. They haven't been corrupted by all the thoughts of what could go wrong, torn ACL, brain injury and what have you. They just think of the fun. I saw 5 year olds learning to ski for the first time that morning, and then later that day, they were like pros, as I, and some of my friends were pizza wedging the whole way down the green hill.

I realized, kids will adapt, because they are not guided by fear so much as the shiny newness of something. When I try a new lesson in class, I may be hesitant, but the students will dive in. They want to be the first to understand something. When I give them a new website to try, it doesn't take long to they become pros at it, and learning more about it then I ever dreamed of knowing.

My students have been working on a few new projects, some that I have never done before in class. I have been throwing new things at them all year, and they pick them up and run with them. In years past, I was afraid to try new things. What if it failed? What if they didn't get it? What would other teacher's think?  Now, I have started the lesson planning process with less fear, and more results in mind. I have taken on some of my student's fearlessness-some, I repeat, some.

I have been in meetings with other teachers who are hesitant to try new things, especially technology in the classroom. They come up with all the excuses I did. I want them to know that it is ok to be fearless. If you have the intentions of what is best for the students, and want to create engaging lessons that reach them, it is ok to fail sometimes.

The students may surprise you though. They are truly fearless. Let's keep inspiring them to be this way, pushing them, challenging them to work hard and work outside their comfort zone. Don't stop with a small resistence, believe in your cause, your lesson, and make it work.