Using Their Minds Well

In my Vlog this week, I went on a bit regarding the impact we can have on student achievement, as well as a brief discussion around one of the Common Principles outlined by the Coalition of Essential Schools.  While the Coalition officially ceased operations as an organization in March of 2017, the Common Principles are still alive and well in CES schools, and should be known and practiced by ALL schools regardless.  Because they make sense.  And they are good for kids.

The Principle I highlighted says this: "the school should focus on helping young people learn to use their minds well."  

Would you say this is true?  Is there anyone who would say no, that this is not something we need to make absolutely sure we are doing?  I mean, "using your mind well"... this is an absolute necessity in any walk of life, at any time of life, for every single person.  For living.  In fact, if you do not learn to use your mind well, I dare say you will fall victim to all kinds of treachery and maliciousness and deceit and lies and bribery, and the list goes on.  One cannot begin to decipher all of the various informational sources and on-the-spot decision-making thrown at a person throughout the course of one's life without being able to use your mind well.  I almost feel like this should be a no-brainer.

And yet, it's not that simple.

Even now, we can look around and find examples;
examples of students not using their minds well,
examples of adults not ensuring that every single class,
every single day,
is FILLED with the type of engaging, mind-inspiring, thought-provoking,
make-me-wanna-know-more,
knock-down-the-door-cuz-I-can't-wait-to-get-to-class
content and lessons and environment that should be part of every classroom.
Every. Single. Day.

Please don't walk away from here thinking I'm saying that it's a teacher's job to entertain the kids.  Because that's too much like babysitting.

Rather, what I'm trying to say to you is that every single moment counts, and even though not every single one of those moments needs to be filled with excitement (indeed, read the work of Mike Schmoker to discover the importance of making sure kids understand the basics; he reminds us that this is not always awe-inspiring fun), every single one of those moments needs to be accounted for.

Intentionally accounted for.

Intentionally filled with activities and moments that engage the minds of students, that show them the connections between what they are doing during the school day and what they could be doing beyond the walls of the school.  For schooling's intention, in its purest form, is to spark a desire for learning that continues well beyond the years of one's formal education.

How do we ensure this?  Obviously this intentionality, this passion, this drive and motivation and urgency about which I write isn't going to stick with every single student.  It goes back to a previous post where I included a quote about the student being ready, and only then does the teacher appear...

And it seems counterproductive, doesn't it?  That the student needs to be ready for the teacher to appear, only to not be needed in the end and become one's own teacher.

But that's the cycle.  And in the mad dash during those 12-13 years of formal schooling, why would we leave anything to chance?  Why would we not want to engage in an audit to ensure that every single thing we do - every day - helps students to use their minds well?