Taking a Risk for the Sake of Learning

Bud has a post where he references a piece of writing he published in the Fort Collins Coloradoan.

I basically gave myself their first writing assignment and was able to model for them what I wanted them to do -- take an experience from their lives and relate it to writing -- while getting their feedback and participation in my process. Real life workshopping in action.

I think this is a great idea - both giving yourself the same assigment you give your students, and writing in a public space as a model for your students. I think you should read the article. But I also really liked the quote Bud attributed to a colleague of his:

A colleague of mine always thanks her students for "taking a risk for the sake of learning," meaning that they take a chance and face their fears.

I think that may be my latest favorite saying (although "Refuse to think for your students" and "It's their education, not ours" are still way up there). I think we need to ask our students, our colleagues, and ourselves to take a risk for the sake of learning. And we need to do it repeatedly.

Tags:

• education_change
• constructivism
• writing