Back at it again...

Well fast forward to 2019 and here we are in Port Orange teaching STEM at Cypress Creek Elementary.  I wanted to write about a situation that occurred a few weeks ago and has me thinking.

I prepped the STEM classroom with Lego WeDo sets ready on the tables, objectives posted, calming music playing while the 4th graders walked in and then I heard it, "Oh I already know how to do this. I know what we are doing. I can do it." It struck me right in the heart. Legos, how in the world could you already possible know what we are going to do-Legos have a million and one in possibilities. How can anyone else get a word in if you already know and are you going to let me do anything?

How many of us walk in to any number of situations and think yay I know this. Then it came to me, if you walk in to a situation and think you know it all, you won't learn a thing.  Seriously, take a minute to let that sink in. I talked to the class and shared my thoughts.  We talked a few minutes about learning new things and I pointed out their teacher talks about the growth mindset in class.

Maybe just maybe we can take a moment and not know everything.  After 25 years of teaching I am amazed at how I learn from students every day and even teachers.  I recently attended the Get Your Teach On conference in Orlando.  Saving that one for another blog post but let's just say I am still learning.