🤔 Misconceptions, Attention Spans, and Clutter

Here are some recent snippets from my weekly review. Each week, I look back and record what I’ve been thinking, reading, and experiencing in the classroom and in life. Think, Learn, Share, Repeat.

• According to the Edutopia article titled “5 Popular Education Beliefs That Aren’t Back by Research” by Stephen Merrill and Daniel Leonard, there are common misconceptions in education that don’t have a foundation in science. My takeaway from this article is the notion that talent beats persistence. Most of the time, it’s actually the opposite that holds true. I’m looking forward to emphasizing persistence and growth over scores and percentages.

• Students’ attention spans have been hijacked. “Human brains want novelty, excitement, and social connection, and devices play into those desires. The most obvious takeaway from this article is to put the devices away. This is the direction that schools should go. It’s also important to help students learn to focus while using school-issued devices. Source: Ducharme, Jamie. 2023. “Why Everyone’s Worried about Their Attention Span — and How to Improve Yours.” TIME. Time. August 10, 2023. https://time.com/6302294/why-you-cant-focus-anymore-and-what-to-do-about-it/.

• Clutter can get in the way of living an intentional life. Each item adds a sliver of stress to our lives. For me, clutter is often a visual reminder of decisions and projects that I’ve procrastinated on. It’s like the tides in my classroom. It grows until I can’t take it anymore, and then clean it up. I’m sure I’d be happier if I were consistent. I would also be a better role model for the students in my classroom who struggle with organization. Source: Becker, Joshua. 2024. “10 Compelling Reasons to Reduce the Clutter in Your Life.” Becoming Minimalist. February 22, 2024. https://www.becomingminimalist.com/10-reasons-to-reduce-the-clutter-in-your-life/.

• The best way for me to combat the Sunday Scaries is to get in a solid exercise on Sunday and spend ample time preparing for the next school week.

• Failure is one of the best teachers. We can’t be afraid of it; our students need to experience it.

• Learning is messy. Creativity is messy. Chaotic soil can grow some pretty great classroom experiences.

Write for the WHY EDIFY REVIEW.

Here’s what I’ve been up to.

• Persistence

• Brain Dump #7 — The Fast and the Curious

• Brain Dump #8 — Persistence and Piles of Papers

• Ruck Reflection — Teacher Shortages

• Ruck Reflection — Tough Day and Persistence

• Misconceptions and Growing Minds

• Maximizing Learning Opportunities: A Guide to Effective Class Endings

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