He didn’t follow directions.

She even repeated them.

“When the timer goes off, cover with foil, and reset timer for another twenty minutes.”

She even texted him a reminder, so he wouldn’t forget.

The timer went off. He took it out of the oven, turned off the timer, and set the dish on the stove top.

When she got home, dinner wasn’t done.

He didn’t follow directions.

I even repeated them.

“When you revise the sentences in numbers 4 and 5, please underline the parallel elements in your sentence.”

I even reminded him (the whole class) as they were beginning to finish up the performance.

When he handed in the performance, nothing was underlined in numbers 4 and 5.

This happened in every period yesterday. And, in each, there were a number of hims and hers who didn’t follow directions.

Why? I don’t know. They weren’t listening? They’re kids? They’re humans?

In another time, in another classroom, Sy would have marked them wrong, referenced the multiple times directions were given, and pointed to those who did follow directions as evidence for why they missed the problem: they didn’t follow directions.

He would have been teaching them the lessons of the real world. Directions matter. They do. But in my experience, there are still plenty of folks, including myself, who fail to follow directions (see dinner example above) in the “real world.”

In this classroom, in this time, Sy does differently than he did. Today, he acknowledges that things happen, that kids, despite his attempts to prevent such things, don’t always follow the given guidelines. And so he works with not against them.

Yesterday, I gave the hims and hers some grace by simply calling them back up to the table to correct the problem. In most cases the sentences were written correctly; they just had not identified the parallel elements.

But wasn’t that inconvenient? Guidelines ensure efficiency. Yeah, it was a little clunky maybe, but I think serving others necessitates inconvenience. My job is to help and serve kids in this formative time in their lives. Do I want them to follow directions? Of course. Will they–despite my diligence to avoid it–not follow directions? Obviously.

What about the other kids who followed directions? Their attention to detail and direction will no doubt reward them in life. But I will no longer let that be the justification for penalizing those who don’t. Those who don’t will learn their lessons–probably time and again. But as for ending their habit right now and forever in room 206 because they forgot to underline in problems 4 and 5, not gonna happen.

Yesterday, millions of directions probably weren’t followed–at school and home, by young and old. In my little neck of the woods, dinner was saved and kids were given a chance to correct a mistake.

We choose what’s possible in the classroom. I have found a lot of wisdom in choosing possible. So I do.

Today’s Trail

Along today’s trail we will experience…

…connecting through Smiles and Frowns.

…choosing a Community Champ.

…clearing the clutter (passing back Performances and organizing portfolios).

…strengthening culture with Community Circle.

…reflecting in our Journey Journals.

…hearing a Sappy Sy Rhyme.

Happy Friday, all. Have a great weekend. Can’t believe we are at day 100!?!

Do. Reflect. Do Better.