There's No Place Like... The Journey

Newton's first law of motion state that an object in motion stays in motion. I argue that that should be the law of efficiency instead of motion. Keep moving until the task is done. As we near spring break, efficiency and focus start to wane. My students are holding on as we travel down that golden brick road toward the magical place known as spring break. In my early years of teaching, I often saw the world in black and white. We were on target to accomplish all the goals I so meticulously crafted at the beginning of the school year, or we were wasting time, and an impending twister would swoop us and take us completely off course. We'd never reach our destination if we strayed off the path for a moment, right? *Cue dramatic special effects.*

While a decade or so of experience and three children later has taught me that efficiency and effective teaching is so nuanced. An array of strategies and approaches must be taken to see the full-color spectrum and the magic of learning. Moments of being sidetracked to discover a new idea or take a different path lead to incredible results far greater than checking an item off the list. Learning is about the journey - not the destination. Just as Dorothy discovers in The Wizard of Oz, what we learn along the way and who we learn it with has a far greater impact than reaching a mythical emerald city (or perfectly achieving goals). What we as educators can help our students realize is that they have the power within themselves to achieve greatness, but they have to believe it, too.

Creating an effective student learning experience is like the characters Dorothy meets in Frank Baum's classic story. Truly gaining knowledge takes brains, heart, courage, and a touch of shenanigans along the way.

First and foremost, cultivating the best learning experiences for students takes brains.

Okay, I am the first to self-deprecate and poke fun at myself for needing to have the "perfect" lesson plans three months ahead of schedule. I am a person who needs a plan. Sidenote: Yes, I'm even the person who schedules "fun" with my family, but seriously… anyone who knows Team Sukow knows we are constantly laughing. Scheduled fun is more exciting than it sounds!

Like the Scarecrow in the Wizard of Oz, we would only know which direction to go with careful thought into the overall curriculum. Having an intended path helps guide the experience. A clear path gives us something to strive for and work toward and helps students recognize the bigger picture. Learning targets feel tedious to craft but are essential in planning a course's day-to-day and overall scope and sequence. The best-laid plans, however, include contingencies, options, and flexibility. The Scarecrow constantly loses his stuffing, but he's ready to put himself back together at any time.

As we create the overall framework and direction of a lesson, we need to remember that relationships come first.

When Dorothy and the Scarecrow walk along, they immediately bond and learn to rely on each other as they encounter surprises on the yellow brick road. When meeting the Tin Man, our protagonists immediately act to help their new friend. They demonstrate heart and show there is always time to build relationships, even when an end goal is set. When the Tin Man first is reanimated, however, he is rusty and has a harsh perspective of the world in which he has been frozen.

As teachers, we all have our moments of frustration. So do our students. SEL is such a critical part of the learning process. From learning executive functioning skills (or learning to walk again as the Tin Man literally) to being vulnerable and sharing our life experiences as we learn, our emotions are the invests that help our students to be not only ready to learn but also ready to venture out of the academic forest into the emerald beyond known as the real world.

Preparing students for the real world also takes great courage, as our world and what our students will face constantly evolves.

Change is the only constant in life. In a world with ever-evolving technology still reeling from post-pandemic effects, we must bravely face the obstacles we are still dodging as educators. Students still have gaps in skills or are out of practice from specific expectations they once had. Families moved, faced hardships, and countless political and social issues came to light that may have been overlooked before. The weight of our world is still heavy, but we can face our challenges. We can accomplish much despite our fears, just as the Lion realized.

The courage to have difficult conversations does not occur in a vacuum, though. The Lion had friends who helped him reflect and see the bigger picture. They journeyed with him on his quest. Again, learning is not black and white. Academic skills are more than memorizing facts or checking off an SEL goal. These skills work together to get to the end of the journey.

Just as for Dorothy, who was able to defeat the Wicked Witch and leave Oz, we too can reach our goals with students, but it is essential to remember that it's not about getting to the end of the story. Authentic learning is about bravely taking those bends in the road, finding joy in both the joyful and challenging times, and working together to create the best learning environment - a home away from home.