Inspire, don’t require…

I do not remember where I first saw that line, but I know it keeps entering my consciousness. It waves in and out like the whispers of Jedi voices in Rey’s ears… (yes, I am a nerd — if you didn’t already know, now you do)

Even before and especially at the onset of remote learning for my school, this has been a part of me, my teaching philosophy, and mantra.

It is especially important now that we resist setting rigid standards, expectations, dictator-like rules for students to follow in this new territory for education. I would argue that it is important to always resist these practices, honestly — and I am not-so-secretly hoping this is a major change we carry with us out of our current situation in education.

If we tap into natural curiosity, if we know what will hook and inspire our students to participate, making mandatory assignments or requirements will not be necessary.

This is true all of the time.

How can we inspire students to become advocates for their own learning?

How do we make them a part of the process, integral, and necessary?

How do we empower them to take control, steer the ship, and take us along as members of their crew?

These are important questions to consider when planning experiences for our students no matter what. I believe the key to these lies within our relationships. If you know your students, really know them, what they do in their time outside of academics, how they choose to learn new skills, what inspires them to want to practice a skill or learn that new tiktok song and dance…then we can harness it for what “they have to learn” within our curriculum.

This all hinges on you, the educator, the leader, the guide within the classroom.

If we inspire, we won’t need to require…

We need to take a deep, reflective look at our practices, especially now when our approaches have to be modified to be effective. There are so many variables we cannot control here, we have to inspire learning.

Deadlines do not inspire.

Worksheets (even those converted to digital representations of them) do not inspire.

Rigid requirements do not inspire.

So what does?

What inspires YOUR students?

It is going to be different from school to school, grade to grade, class to class, and even student to student. I do not know what will inspire your students, but you do. And if you really do not, it’s time to find out.

Inspiration will prevail in our current learning situation and push our students to continue to gain new skills and continue their education.

So what’s it going to be?

How are you already inspiring your students?

What else could you try?

What thought partners are in your PLN that can help you craft some inspiration?

What is holding you back?

This is tough stuff, friends — tweet it out! What can we come together and help you accomplish? What are you stuck on? What do YOU need?

Help is a tweet away — get it out there, and let us help you be the inspiration your students need, want, and deserve!