“I can get excited by learning something new.”
That was the HOWL (Habits of Work and Learning) target I wrote on my front board Friday.
I think sometimes kids think it’s cool not to be excited or impressed by the things they learn. They act as if they’ve seen it all already, that they can not be surprised by something. They can be really blasé about really exciting things.
I think sometimes they don’t allow themselves to be excited - it wouldn’t be cool.
Trust me, there are way more important things than coolness. There is the excitement of exploration.
I learn new things every day. I get excited when I’m surprised by something I didn’t know.
I’m still thinking about all that I learned about the Colosseum in Rome a few weeks ago. I was blown away by all the amazing things I learned during a short tour (a retractable roof - really???). My imagination has been on fire thinking about how this structure was built and used all those centuries ago.
If you are studying the criminal justice system, plant cells or quadratics, seek out new ideas. Find the things that light a fire in your imagination. That “thing” will be different for everyone.
Find what excites you - things that you want to learn more about. Actively seek out new ideas and new information. The lessons we teach are not the end of the topic...they are the beginning.
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