Self-Reliance

One of the hidden curriculums I try to teach is self-reliance; knowing oneself, following a path that works for you as an individual, & holding oneself accountable.

This ideology is difficult to teach directly, so I try to weave it into the actions that we take as individuals in the classroom; each student is responsible for organizing their INB (interactive notebook) & the table of contents.  Each student is responsible for making up missed notes & assignments.  Each student is responsible for their own actions.  I also encourage my students to be vocal about their learning processes & act as an advocate for themselves -- in other words, if something isn't working for them, I invite them to try another method (within reason) to help them accomplish the task at hand.

The beauty of Common Core is that it holds me (as a teacher) accountable for teaching skills & helping students master those skills.  How we arrive at a mastery level doesn't matter as much as the finished product, so again, I really try to emphasize knowing oneself so that students can gauge what works for them.  Figuring out a strategy early in life is extremely beneficial to students, even beyond the realm of public education -- if they can learn how to teach themselves, they can learn anything.  It also allows me to act more as a facilitator instead of a lecturer.

That being said, it is very hard to get to the level of knowing oneself if we are constantly caught up in a web of excuses.  There will always be a reason why something is difficult -- this is part of life.  Growth comes from accepting the limitations of reality & making progress in spite of the obstacles.  In other words, everyone has something on their plate -- a burden, an excuse, something to overcome.  I am more interested in what students can do with the cards that they are dealt; realizing that these obstacles are part of a person's wiring as much as their learning styles & preferences. Nothing is impossible -- once students accept their obstacles, they can work on overcoming them.

No excuses, play like a champion.