Do Your Homework, then Throw it Away

Blog post for Module 2, EDTC "Learning with Technology"

As I read through my education books, I'm constantly encountering new descriptions of methods and philosophies and lesson templates and unit plans and approaches and ideas... And inevitably, about every SINGLE one, part of me will think, "Yes! Want to do that too!" For instance: in reading about wiki sites and online networks and blogs and so on for this "Learning with Technology" class, I come up with ideas of how to incorporate that into my English teaching curriculum. I think of how a whole UNIT could be shaped around a class wiki site-- students could post daily reflections and build projects within the site. Then however, I work on my "Survey Instructional Strategies" class. I read chapters about Inductive learning and Inquiry Method-- and think, "Yes! That too!" I imagine how I could incorporate those strategies into introducing literature, or making hypotheses about characters. In my head, once again, I've got several lessons planned out, using these methods. Then I work on my "Moral Issues in Education" class and read about instilling values in students, and discussing ethics, and raising deep questions, and leading students to form moral character, and think "Yes! Of course that one, that is IMPORTANT!" Once again, my hypothetical class is suddenly consumed in a flurry of activity: this time, engaging in deep discussions, getting into heated debates about moral issues, and wrestling daily with matters of the heart and soul.

But what actual teacher could manage all these things in one unit, for one class-- in one year?? And what kind of superhuman student could possibly process all the different directions these frenzied activities were taking him or her in?

Of course, some of these different activities can be done simultaneously-- kids can reflect on philosophy and moral quandaries ON a wiki site-- but the basic problem remains. After all: these are just the three classes that I'm working on this QUARTER. If I tried to pack every learning theory and method into my teaching that I've learned through this entire graduate school program (not to mention every other lesson I've ever learned in my life)... I imagine I would end up being astoundingly terrible at teaching. There would be NO time for basic processing.

One of my favorite theatre directors in high-school used to tell us, "Do your homework, and then throw it away." After being cast in a play, we were expected to do extensive script work and character analysis-- forming a character background and history... examining "objectives" behind different lines, and so on. This all was meant to enhance our performance. However, if, every time we were on stage, we were thinking, "Do THIS objective now. Remember the moment of your character's childhood that relates to this line! Make sure you move to the correct place on stage!"--- the performance would inevitably be stilted and jarring. It would be wooden, contrived, forced. Therefore, our teacher told us: "Do your homework... but then throw it away." The idea was to have all these tools at our disposal-- but in the actual performance, we had to just let it go. We had to play it IN the moment, and go with our gut, and our heart, trusting that the work we had done would guide us in the subtle way it needed to.

I conclude-- I think-- that teaching must go the same way. I have learned, at this point, MANY different methods of teaching, all which promise to be effective. This week's inductive and inquiry learning are two more "tools" to add to my teaching arsenal. But I think, after learning all this, what I'll ultimately need to do is "throw it away." I will need to go into my classrooms with open eyes-- I will need to analyze what my students need most, what their responses are to different types of lessons, how they seem to process best, and what teaching method will work best with THIS particular group, to accomplish THIS particular learning objective. I'll need to play it IN the moment, and go with my gut, and my heart. I've done my homework-- and I'll continue to do it. But I think-- in order to really teach effectively-- there comes a point where we need to throw it away.