An Uncomfortable Car Ride

More than a decade ago I spent a summer working in the NorthWest Territories in Fort McPherson at a swimming pool. The pay was very good and the experience even better. I learned an enormous amount while there and have fond memories of my time there. But it's the car ride home that I remember the most.

Fort McPherson is quite far from the airport so my boss took me for a few hours drive before I flew back to big city life in Ontario.

I remember the drive very clearly, I can still see the dashboard, the feel of the gravel road, and my anger at my boss. You see, he took the time, while I was trapped in the car with him for hours, to explain to me how self-centred I was. How, whenever I was in a conversation, I had to talk about me. He explained in detail how I was too focused on me, how it showed, and what it did to those around me.

How dare he! How dare he say such horrible things to me! I was a nice, kind, good person. Hard-working and diligent. I was not any of those horrible things he said.

When he stopped at the airport I stomped off with as little contact with him as I could. I fumed the whole way home.

I've thought about that conversation for years. Torn it apart. Analyzed it. Shredded it. Rebuilt it. It has stuck with me constantly, not a month, or even a week goes by without me thinking about it.

You see. He was right.

I was, and still am, far too self-centred.

But, if he hadn't spoken up, and spoken clearly, directly, perhaps even brutally, I would never have woken up.

His words have opened up the world for me.

You see, up to that point I desperately wanted to get married, but every relationship fell through.

I wanted to find a job that was more than a job, but every one I tried just didn't work out.

I wanted to be a Dad, but that sort of required being married first.

I had some friends, but I was lonely.

I was a Christian, but it didn't really show much.


It wasn't until after that uncomfortable car ride that things changed.

I became a teacher, a job that requires you to focus on others. Which led me to my wife and any good marriage requires you to pay attention to your spouse. Which led to children, and you can't be self-centred and be a good Dad. I've got more friends and connections that I possibly have time for. My faith shows far more than it ever did.

Not that I'm perfect, I still struggle with this challenge every day. But when I do, I think of that uncomfortable car ride.

Thanks Terry. Thanks for being bold and saying what needed to be said. It has made all the difference.

To Google or Not to Google

I've come across the phrase "If you can Google it, why teach it?" One example of this can be found here.

I agree with this idea. After all, everyone has a phone in their pocket and can pull Google out at any time. I even find myself doing it at the supper table when one of my kids asks a question that I don't know the answer to.

So we should start changing what we teach, how we run our classrooms, and how we run our schools in light of the existence of Google.

And yet...

One can only create a good Google search if you have enough background knowledge to formulate the right kind of question. For example, in finding the link above I had to try three different Google searches before I found what I was looking for. I had to know such a topic existed, I needed to know proper English (especially since my first search contained a spelling error), and more.

So while we do need to change what we do in schools, we also can't throw everything away.

I agree that we need more Project Based Learning, more student voice and choice, a greater ethic of excellence, and an understanding the technology is disrupting education, we also need to continue with building a solid foundation of skills for our students. There is still a place for rote memorization, drill, practice, and even lectures.

Let me give you an example from my own teaching experience.

When I first started teaching math I insisted that students memorize all of the formulas for our measurement and geometry unit. That was what was expected in high school and I wanted my students ready.

I don't do that any more. I have my students complete careful notes during the lessons and they may bring their notes to the test. In fact, I won't even let them take the test unless they have a complete set of notes that they've created themselves. (Almost always handwritten, but that's a story for another day.) 

The reality is that memorizing all the formulas isn't necessary any more. If someone really needs a formula they can just Google it. That's what I do when I need one.

However, the formulas are useless unless you understand Order of Operations. (BEDMAS, or PEDMAS, or PODMAS, or however else you learned it.) If you don't understand the proper usage of a formula they're useless. So I still require my students to memorize this process and I reinforce it with plenty of drill and kill. Then we practice it in context with question after question and formula after formula. 

I figure that I am a successful math teacher if my students can walk out of my classroom and handle any formula that Google can throw at them. 

So, yes, my teaching practice has changed because of Google and probably will continue to do so, but memorization and repetition remain useful parts of education.

Leading a workshop for teachers

Tomorrow I am leading a 2 day workshop for teachers along with 2 of my colleagues.

We're going to spend two days learning about Google Apps for Education (GAFE).

We've spent plenty of effort preparing. Hours on Google Hangouts planning together, more hours writing docs, creating slideshows, preparing Google Classroom, etc...

But in all of that we have to remember why we do this. As a geek who loves his tech tools it is easy to get lost in the fun of playing with cool new toys.

In the end the tools and toys are irrelevant. It's the students who walk in our door, that God has given us the privilege of teaching and leading that matter.

As long as the tools and toys help us to accomplish this task then these two days should be worthwhile.