61. Essential Learning Magnified

In this episode we talk about the idea of essential learning and why this is so vital in education today! If you have been working in education for any amount of time you are familiar with the idea of essential standards. Some call them “essentials,” some call them “power standards,” or whatever else your district or school has decided to call them. The basic idea is always the same though. We need to figure out from the mountain of content and curriculum we have laid before us what is the most important for our students to make sure they understand. Our current environment has brought to light whether we are great at this or not. The progression of education has brought us to a point where we need laser-like focus on only the most important and essential. Everything we do in education needs to be the most influential, most important, most applicable, and the path that gets us the best results possible. This is not always the fastest approach, but is the most valuable for everyone involved! This also means we are going to have to stop being married to our particular way of doing things sometimes. We are going to have to decide whether our best lessons, concepts, or funnest activities are really worth the time and effort we put into them. We are not able to keep doing things the way we have always done just because it is the easiest thing to do. Always remember that the amount of time and energy we have spent in one particular direction is not a reason to keep going in that direction if it is the wrong direction! If you need help deciding what is most important or why you are struggling to give up some things then come work with me!