MAC_Week3_Blog2_Response_Scot_Byrd

Attribution Some rights reserved by jontintinjordan

Scot Byrd

http://scotbyrd.blogspot.com/2011/04/blog-3-art-of-possibility.html

"As I read this specific chapter it made me realize that this is the reason why so many teachers resist change. This chapter fit perfectly with the discussion board that we had this week as we talked about education and it's resistance to change. As I discussed earlier teachers don't want to look dumb, they don't want to feel bested or inadequate, and no one really does. If teachers could only remember Rule Number 6 I think that change would come much more naturally to the profession. Change would happen as we are up to just try something new, to give the students a different perspective, maybe something out of our comfort zone. Rule Number 6 would allow us as teachers to embrace change and roll with it, it would allow us to make a mistake in class and say "ah well" or to not have the answer to a technological question or hiccup in a lesson and say "we'll figure it out, no big deal". These responses are what make a classroom function as a place of real learning, and not just a room to instruct. Rule Number 6 would allow us to attempt something that we might not have had the guts to before and warn the students that you're not sure if this is going to work but hey we'll give it a try. Not only does this attitude by you allow you to be more free in your teaching but it also sets an example for the kids that it is ok to try and fail as long as you are willing to learn from your mistakes and not let it stop you from trying something else.
Rule Number 6 is a great lesson to teach ourselves so that we can better teach our students."

@Scot
Rule Number 6 is what allows us to be human and also humane. We are not perfect. People are not perfect. Striving for improvement is always a good thing, but to strive for perfection and then expect perfection is impossible. Remembering Rule Number 6 means that no we do not take ourselves too seriously and neither should we take others too seriously as well.

It is enlivening and freeing to know, hey its OK to try something new. Sometimes things work, sometimes they don't. Kids need to learn this, you are correct! They need to learn that it is OK to make mistakes; its how we know we are learning. If we didn't make mistakes, then we didn't need to learn whatever it was.

I think it is a great way to look at life, and to teach our students!
Teachers are not superheros (although I know of a few that think they are)! We are in this together:teacher and student! Teachers make mistakes, but you're right; its an opportunity to learn something new! Sometimes the lesson is that 'you know that teacher so and so messed up the chemistry experiment, but it was OK because we learned that sometimes unexpected things can happen. That's life!