I Hate School but I love Learning

My Lead Up Katycast co-hosts and I were recently recording an upcoming podcast with Instructional Coach and student-centered differentiation guru, Lisa Westman, who was in town facilitating staff development. We met her in the Executive Lounge of the beautiful J.W. Marriott in downtown Houston to record the podcast. The podcast discussion with Lisa was an inspiring look into her new book, Student-Driven Differentiation. 

What happened after we finished recording the podcast was as engaging and thought-provoking as the podcast itself. David was the concierge in the lounge and was gracious to help us set up our on-site recording studio. David, a young adult, happened to be listening in on the discussion during the recording of the podcast. As we were packing up, David came over with some questions about what we were talking about.

One of the topics during the podcast explored how in education we tend to revamp the same outdated, Industrial Age, conveyor belt system of education instead of pushing towards a new paradigm of learning. David wanted to know more about this topic and how we knew it was time to try something different. He exclaimed “I hated school but I love learning” and he was curious about how education could change for his sister who is still in school.

I’ve known people feel this way, but I have never heard someone say this as plainly and emphatically as David. He was genuinely concerned about the future of learning and how our educative systems will change. We have an obligation to design learning experience to engage students in school. From her book, some of the ways Lisa says this can occur is through relationship building (pg. 6), creating experiential learning opportunities (pg. 81), and meeting the needs, intellectually, socially, and emotionally of all students (pg. 111). I could elaborate on these topics, but get Lisa’s book. You won’t be disappointed!

There were two powerful takeaways from this experience. The first one is that we have to continue to redefine how learning occurs in our brick and mortar buildings with student voice, choice, and feedback as part of the process. The other is that you never know who is listening, watching, or reading. If you are creating content though a blog, podcast, vlog or otherwise, whether you think it is making a difference or not, IT IS! I am glad David listened in during the recording and was concerned enough about the future of education to ask questions about where we go from here. His concern was a conviction for me to get back to blogging and sharing my story.

You will never know the true extent of your influence…keep creating!