Does everything have to be a lesson or is everything always a lesson?

 Educators are always looking for ways to "cover" the curriculum. Even when we know that we are accountable to the Overall Expectations the draw the ensure that all Specific Expectations are touched on is strong. 

But not all expectations are created equal. 

Are they? 

On Friday I made my way down to a classroom to speak to an educator about a specific student. We had crossed paths in the hallway that morning and I had said that if he was available later in the day would he be able to come and sort through the LEGO station? This was an arrangement we had in place before the pandemic when the library was wide open at all times to all students. This student required frequent breaks and was always eager to be helpful and take on a leadership role in  the library so his homeroom educator and I worked out a plan where he had his own set of library tasks on a checklist. When he felt that he needed a break from the classroom setting he would advocate for his needs by asking to come to the library. Often, I would deliberately mess up the LEGO station when I hadn't seen him for a few days knowing a visit was probably imminent. 

But what does this have to do with the curriculum?

Well, nothing really. But when I arrived in his classroom his teacher felt it necessary to tell me that they were letting the students talk because they just seemed to need it. They said "I know I should get them on task and doing work but if I let them talk it out for awhile they will settle down later. I promise we will do work!"

Now, I am no one's supervisor and there was no need to justify anything happening in the class to me. However, I find that many educators do this- they try to provide a rationale for their actions in the classroom to other educators when it doesn't appear as though a direct lesson is happening. 

I quickly assured the educator that I was not judging her and in fact listed off what I saw happening in her class:

• I saw an educator who was being responsive to the needs of the students.
• I saw students who were engaged in social conversations with their peers. They were making eye contact, they were facing the speaker and there was a back and forth exchange of ideas.
• The noise level was on the higher side but that's because every table group was talking. No one group was dominating the space. It was a happy hum of discussion. 
• I saw students being given time to re-connect with their peers after 2 years of separation and uncertainty. 
• I saw humans re-engaging with each other and learning social skills that would serve them throughout their life. 

And as I said to the educator,

 "Isn't Oral Communication in the Language Arts curriculum? Looks to me like a great learning activity."

This has stuck with me for a few days since it happened.

Does every "lesson" have to be pre-planned and written out in full in a day plan? Does every lesson have to be a formal opportunity to assess students? Does every lesson have to have posted learning goals to be successful?

In my opinion, no. And I believe that in the opinion of many educators I admire the answer is also no.

As educators we have been told time and again that we are not in fact experts in our field. The media tells us this. The government tells us this. Parents sometimes tell us this. 

I think this can cause educators to question themselves and their decisions even when they know what they are doing is best for kids. Did I witness a formal lesson? No. Could it have been used for a TPA? No. Was it valuable for those learners? YES!

This is where we need to hold each other up and showcase each other's brilliance. I think we need to notice and name the genius we see in our fellow educators' practice. This educator obviously had spent time really seeing the students in their class. They knew what they needed in this moment to help them focus further into the learning day. They just needed a reminder of their expertise as an educator after two long years of everything being so unsure. 

Let's do that for each other more often.  

(And the student with the LEGO? He came, helped re-sort the mixed up bins and stayed for a full period helping younger students and interacting with them. It was lovely to see.)