Transforming Work

In From Implementing to Transforming from @DavidGeurin Blog, David asks,

“Are you stuck in an implementing rut? Or are you using your full creativity and imagination in your work? Are you reaching hearts and minds with transforming work?”

I remember being in school and having to memorize facts. When I was younger, it was the addition, subtraction, multiplication and division tables. As I got older, I had to memorize historical people, dates, and places. But very rarely was I asked to create something new. In order to make something new, I had to move beyond memorization and actually apply the knowledge that I learned.

Too many times, I have found myself doing the same thing. I was busy implementing a rut. I was taught to use directed reading instruction and the teacher manual actually gave the script for you to use and read. I didn’t even have to transform my instruction because everything was written out for me. It was easy and effortless because I didn’t even have to think. I felt like a trained monkey!

I have found though that if I move away from the implementation of a lesson and transform it into something else, the lesson is usually more successful. Instead of asking my students to regurgitate the information I’ve given them and allow them to transform their work into something meaningful to them, they usually learn more effectively.

So not only do I have to be more creative with my lessons, but I need to allow my students to be creative with their learning. I have to remind myself that the goal is not to just what the students learn but also how they learn and how they can better retain the skills they learn.

When I have fun teaching a lesson, usually the students respond better, and they tend to be more engaged in the lesson. When they are more engaged, they have a vested interest in learning the information. The more engaged the students are, the more I want to be creative and make the lesson better. The better the lesson, the more successful the students are. It is an endless cycle.

Do you implement or transform your lessons? Please share.

Photo by Suzanne D. Williams on Unsplash