Worksheets and Hoops

Our director gave a speech recently that reminded me of one critical quality today’s learners appear to be missing that the learners of not so long ago mostly shared–a willingness to jump through the hoops. 

When I was in school, and even while I was teaching, most students had figured out that to succeed you would have to sit through some boring lectures, fill out some mundane worksheets, color in the countries on the blank geography map, etc.  A few rebellious ones would refuse or check out or eventually drop out, but most of us just took it as the only way to graduate and get a decent job.

Today’s kids have access to a plethora of information and spend most of their time engaged–whether through video games or online activities or through after school sports or dance or music.  All of this meaningful, connected activity translates into less willingness to put up with non-engaging classroom activities.  And as a colleague pointed out, they’re not refusing out of spite, or to be disrepectful, or even to rebel…they just don’t see why they should, and they are more likely to ask the age old question, “Why do we have to do this?” 

If we don’t have a solid reason that will result in deeper understanding for learners, maybe the new answer is “You shouldn’t.  Let’s do something else.”  This blog entry from Glenn Wiebe sums it up.  As educators, let’s do everything we can to prevent the twinge he feels from happening to other parents…or from becoming a long term heartache.