Week one

I failed. I faltered. I forgot.
Here I am, only 2 days away from the start of our winter term but still connecting to the HSE idea from The Talent Code. Classical Education is aligned with the idea advanced in The Talent Code: that deep practice leads to advancement in your game. The classical model in general, and Lost Tools of Writing in general, encourage the idea of deep practice which is really simply purposeful or mindful practice. When I call a student to the board and ask her to draw the rock cycle she is being placed in the competitive cauldron. Will she perform? Will she overcome her performance anxiety?

Today, I am perseverating on the idea of thinking. It is a lost art. We have instant access to all kinds of information that quenches our immediate need for an answer. Rather than stewing on the question we run to google and ask it for an answer. Like the mirror on the wall, I stare into my phone and ask it for an answer. I usually get one. It is instant. It is kind of gratifying. It is not mine. My goal this winter is to get these students and the teachers to think deeply about the content.

I truly believe if we spent 13 weeks discussing one thing and really questioning and learning everything about this thing the students would return to their classroom better off. Although they would be behind in the content they would quickly catch up because they had learned how to think during their time away. But are we prepared to use these students as test subjects?