I have to admit that I'm a big fan of the word purpose. Purpose should drive everything that we do in the classroom and give both ourselves and our learners a reason for the work.  The definition of purpose is "the reason for which something is done or created or for which something exists."  

Our purpose has to go beyond "because it's included in our list of standards or because it's on the test".  Instead, the purpose has to connect to life beyond the classroom.  How can learners apply what they are learning to their right now?  While this is important for us to consider as we design an experience, I don't think it's necessary for us to make the connection for them.  Instead, I think we should challenge our learners to consider how they will apply what they've learned.  The question is, "How can we do this in a way that is both manageable and meaningful?".

Most learning experiences start with an objective or a statement that clearly defines the desired outcome.  I think objectives are important and help us, as educators, identify a target that we are trying to hit through the learning experience that we design.  However, objectives are rarely personal for our learners and making it personal means making it meaningful.

So, how do we do that?  I think that this can be achieved through encouraging our learners to create purpose statements at the end of a learning experience.  You could almost see objectives and purpose statements as bookends.  One at the beginning, one at the end, both holding the learning in place.  

I'm not going to lie.  I like simple.  Sometimes, the most simple tasks can be the most meaningful and are always the most manageable.  That being said, I think purpose statements can be as simple as asking our learners to complete this statement, "Today I learned _____________________, so that I can _____________________. " 

​The "so that" part of this statement is most important.  It's the connection between what they've learned in the classroom to what they experience beyond the walls of the classroom.  A learner's  "so that" might connect to sports, media, art, or something else that they see as a priority or interest.  The reality is that if we can help them realize how they might utilize what they've learned in a real way, the learning will be more meaningful and more likely to stick.  

Purpose statements can be written or documented using something like Google Slides.  I do think it's important that they are created in a place that can be reviewed over time so that learners can go back to acknowledge all they are they are able to DO because of all that they have LEARNED.  

I've really been thinking recently about adventure mindset and how it connects to our current circumstances in education.  In reading blogs,  listening to podcasts, and considering my own mindset, I've come to the conclusion that this mindset is what many of us need in order to move forward and innovate so that we are able to impact and engage today's learners.  

It's not a secret that I love words and I love to know what they mean and how they should be used.  Adventure is defined as "an unusual and exciting, typically hazardous, experience or activity."  Upon reading the definition, I immediately thought, "That doesn't sound like a good idea."  It was the word 'hazardous' that was causing concern.  That word can stir up fear or concern for those of us in education.  We are not looking to be a part of hazardous situations and tend to prefer the antonyms to the word such as safe and secure.  However, as I continued to explore the words, I found that hazardous actually means 'risky'.  And, let's be honest, risky is what we need right now.

I'm a huge fan of the television show, Monk.  I love his ability to use his greatest weakness as his greatest strength.  If you haven't seen the show, let me fill you in.  You see, Monk is a private investigator that suffers from OCD.  However, it's because of his OCD that he is able to notice details and find clues that no one else is able to identify.  In doing so, he solves crime after crime.  You may be asking yourself what in the world this has to do with education.  Let me explain...

A couple of years ago, our oldest child got his driver's license. I was SO nervous and a complete wreck knowing that he would be on the roads...alone.  I remember asking him to drive me on the interstate in Dallas because, I knew if he could handle Dallas traffic,  he could certainly handle the small highway he would use to get from our home to work and school.  He agreed but soon regretted that decision.  As soon as he began to drive, I had all sorts of advice.  "Slow down, use the blinker, how fast are you going, are you using your mirrors?"  I was like a parrot in his ear just chirping away.  Finally, he pulled over and said he couldn't drive with me providing constant direction.

Wow!  2020 was definitely a year to remember (or not).  While it went quickly in so many ways, it also went by so slowly.  It's easy to focus on all of the negative because, let's be honest, there was SO MUCH of it.  However, there were also many positive outcomes that will change the way that we do things from here on out.  ​

We've all talked about sustainable change in education for some time.  We've known that it was important for technology to become a priority and realized the importance of collaboration. However, knowing the importance of something and actually prioritizing those actions are two different things. 

2020 had a way of leveling the playing field.  Let me explain...there was no district, campus, or classroom that was totally prepared for what we've experienced.  There were no best practices, no blog posts, no YouTube videos, and no podcasts that you could listen regarding emergency remote learning during a pandemic.  I would go out on a limb and say that no one knew how it could be done in those first few days.  And then...magic began to happen.  Teachers began to try new things, experiment with new ideas, and share their experiences.  Some things worked, some things didn't, but the reality is that we will never be the same.

Learning looks different right now.  Knowing what students truly understand is difficult but more important than ever before.  In order to differentiate and make learning meaningful, we have to be able to "see" what is being learned.  Documentation of learning is something that should be carefully considered and done in a way that is both manageable for educators and meaningful for our learners.    

So, what does that look like? How do we encourage documentation of learning and how can we do it in a way that makes sense for both in class and at home learners.  First of all, I think we have to consider what we are looking for within the documentation of the learning.  Below are some essential pieces of learning that I consider to be very important...

PBL, Project-Based Learning, has a big impact on learners.  Edutopia describes this way of learning as "a dynamic classroom approach in which students actively explore real-world problems and challenges and acquire a deeper knowledge."  Sounds like a good idea, yes?  Definitely sounds like something that might result in true engagement from our learners.  I often say that completing work, paying attention, or logging into an LMS is not engagement.  That's compliance.  Engagement is a willingness to invest in the learning.  In my own experience, I have seen more of a willingness to invest when I made project-based learning a priority in my classroom.  

I was recently asked why, with all we know about the benefits of PBL, this type of learning isn't more of of a reality within our current educational landscape. Several things came to mind with the first being time. Planning and implementing project-based learning requires time to plan, time to collaborate, and time to provide feedback. It requires a different planning mindset and can seem quite overwhelming.  

Self-Assessment is super important right now as it's a great way to know where your learners feel like they need support. Being able to honestly share what you do and do not understand encourages the social-emotional skill of self-awareness and will be important beyond the walls of the classroom. There are five important questions that should be asked as part of a self-assessment opportunity...

 So, I'm a huge Survivor fan.  I absolutely love watching every season, every episode.  As I was watching recently, I began to realize some of the parallels between the show, Survivor, and what educators are experiencing right now...the elements are rough, the challenges are difficult, and every day brings a new set of circumstances.

As I watch, I can't help but realize that there are two types of people that play the game.  Some come into the experience with the intention to thrive and some come simply to survive.  Let me explain.

The definition of survive is to manage to keep going in difficult circumstances.  But, what if we could do more than just keep going?  What if we could go actually grow as a result of these unprecedented circumstances?  The definition of thrive is to grow or develop well.  However, in order to grow and develop well, we have to be intentional about our perspective.

I never want to suggest that this year will be easy or predictable.  In fact, just the opposite is true.  The reality is that this year will be difficult and uncertain.  Things will happen that are out of our control and there will be challenges that seem almost impossible to overcome.  But, if our perspective is to grow through the difficult circumstances and develop as we overcome challenges, everything changes.  As Jeff Probst said, "The adventure you're ready for is the one that you get."

Here are three suggestions for moving beyond simply surviving and into thriving throughout  the 2020-2021 school year...

It's the end of July and so much still remains unknown. Administrators and educators are continuing to work so hard to do what's best for learners while following the recommendations and limitations put in place because of our current circumstances.  So much changes every day and it feels like we are all just trying to keep our heads above water.

As I meet with both teachers and administrators, I find myself coming back to two questions regardless of what we are considering.  We might be talking about...

• Professional learning that will need to be in place moving forward
• Designing experiences for at-home and in-class learners
• Using technology in a way that makes sense right now
• Supporting parents as they implement at-home learning procedures

I could go on and on.  The reality is that regardless of what we do right now, we should be considering sustainability.  Intentionality will provide the opportunity to continue to use so much of what we are putting into place for years to come. 

So, what two questions do I ask in every single planning meeting, professional learning experience, and conversation that I have with educators right now?