This is Hard for Me

I had an impromptu discussion with my students titled "This is hard for me." We sat around and talked about what is hard for us. Most children were very honest. I heard things from math concepts to writing to reading. I admitted I am not a fan of teaching social studies. Sorry to all you history buffs out there, but reading about the past is not interesting to me. 

I explained to the students that I am trying to find ways to make that subject more interesting to us all, which can be challenging. I also shared that I have learned that learning from our past helps us make a better future. I showed them a picture of a floppy disk and people are still trying to figure out what that is.  

I had to show them artifacts from Pre-Columbian civilizations. I thought about what I read in Dave Burgess’ Teach Like a Pirate and wanted to create an experience for my students.  “Much of your success as an educator has to do with your attitude towards teaching and towards kids. The rest of your success is based on your willingness to relentlessly search for what engages students in the classroom and then having the guts to do it.”  Archaeology sounded like a great place to start.  

Saving Amazon boxes, I created little archeology stations.  I buried the images I was supposed to project in the sand.  We watched a short video on what archaeologists do for background knowledge. Armed with twine and paintbrushes, students had to marked their “dig site” into 16 squares. They used the brushes to carefully move the sand around searching for artifacts from the Mayan, Incan, and Aztec societies. Students were engaged and engrossed in the activity and started sorting images by civilization. They told me they were able to learn about tools, clothes, and daily life using the images they were able to discuss what it might have been like to live back then.

I was proud of our students for being very honest in this talk. I feel like once you admit something is hard for you the weight falls off. We have developed a close and trusting community in a short time because I am not sure how many adults would admit in front of other adults what is hard for them, yet these students went right for it. I am glad students got to hear other students talk, as now they realize they are not the only ones who think something is hard.

We made two generalizations about our class today.
1. Most students face challenges.
2. Most students persevere when confronted with a challenge.

Not one student in here has told me they cannot do something. They are using the growth mindset vocabulary I was trying to teach. That was evident this afternoon.

I welcome you all to have conversations with your students and colleagues about what is hard for them and tell them what things are hard for you. It is an enriching conversation to have! Dave Burgess says, “Here is the secret: We are not passionate about everything we teach. It’s OK! Let the freedom wash over you. Now that the secret’s out in the open, let’s talk about it.”