9/25 Happy Friday Note

Happy Friday Everyone,

Education is not a race. There can be no end to how much we can learn. A growth mindset promotes the belief that through sustained effort progress can be made with even the most challenging content and skills.

The start to any new school year is a stressor. This year that stress is amplified by our continuing efforts to move forward in spite of the virus. How do we determine the right pace for learning? 

Ironically, runners know that going out too fast in the beginning is a mistake. The rules of thumb for building the aerobic and strength base for sustained running are simple: 

• If you are unable to carry on a comfortable conversation with your running partner, then slow down
• Run for a designated amount of time, not a distance
• Run at the same time each day to make running a habit

Following these rules makes running more enjoyable, protects you from injury, and gives your body and mind the time they need to make running a lifestyle.

We can also take a measured approach to learning. The rules for building the base for sustained learning are simple:

• If students do not have enough time in their lives to be healthy, then slow down
• Learn for the time allotted by class, not to cover topics
• Learn at the same time using the same routines to make learning a habit

Following these simple rules makes learning more enjoyable, protects you from burning out, and gives your mind and body the time they need to make learning a lifestyle.

It takes 10, 000 hours of practice to develop expertise. Learning that addresses new concepts, covers unfamiliar content, and challenges students to develop new and advanced skills is work that requires students to be healthy physically, socially, and emotionally.

Crossing the finish line is not the goal. We have higher expectations. We want our students to stop racing to the end of assignments, the end of classes, and the end of a school year. We want them to settle into the habit of doing work driven by curiosity, shaped by imagination, and sustained by the joy of discovery. 

I hope everyone has the time this weekend to go for a “conversation-paced” run and read something because they find it interesting. 

Peace,