September 2019
Musings on the Waze
During the summer, I had a chance to drive to many new places. While driving, I thought about the advances and improvements of our navigation systems.
It’s been 10 years since I got my first Garmin GPS (a gift from the teachers in the school where I was working at the time; they had pity on me every time I got lost and ended up stranded in unknown territory). Back then I observed three ways the GPS was a model of a master teacher.
• She always started by clarifying the destination. As we begin a new year — or a new week or a new unit in school — a good teacher asks, “Where to?” It is important to know our goals and expectations as we set out on a new learning journey. • She is patient and understanding; even when we choose not to heed her guidance, she simply informs us, “Recalculating.” Often our students, our children, don’t choose the path we think is best or that makes the most sense for them. A good teacher continues to offer guidance and support as they recalculate their new route.
• She seems delighted to let us know when we arrive at our destination. A good teacher is there by the child’s side to celebrate the accomplishments and acknowledge that a goal has been reached. The smallest accomplishments still deserve recognition and appreciation. In the last decade the technology has changed so much, and our navigation systems are often apps on our phones. We can update the analogy:
• We are often given a few routes to choose from before we set out. A good teacher gives students some autonomy in their learning and includes them in constructing the learning.
• As we go along the route, we are supported by updates from others on the road. Taking advantage of opportunities to collaborate with our peers is another hallmark of a good teacher.
• If there is a backup or traffic jam, we are informed how long we’ll sit in traffic. Sometimes we do have to face some negativity or adversity, but if a teacher lets us know that it is temporal and the situation will improve, it certainly makes things easier.
As we set out on our new school year and our new journey of learning, may we all be blessed with the clarity to know: where we are going to, how to recalculate, and how to celebrate when we “arrive,” or meet our goals. May we have the capacity to take part in our learning and collaborate with others on the way. And may we be comforted in knowing that when there are troubles on the way, the estimated time in traffic should not be too long.
