Every Saturday, I write an e mail publication on “3 Issues,” which is a random record of concepts on studying, management, and life. This format offers me each construction and routine in my writing and permits me to broaden on some concepts whereas specializing in conveying them concisely. Under is likely one of the emails that I wrote this previous 2024, and attributable to its recognition, I needed to reshare it right here on my weblog.
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The three New C’s To Take into account?
I don’t know what was on my thoughts whereas on the gymnasium, however I assumed in regards to the “Cs” which can be typically shared for training. I’ve seen wherever between 4-7 “Cs” and discovered this one primarily based on Michael Fullan’s work:
All of those Cs are essential, however can they be consolidated into 3? Not solely to assist the theme of this e mail but in addition to make them extra concise, memorable, and adaptable to every group.
Listed here are the three Cs that got here to thoughts and I needed to make use of this house as a option to write to study. That is undoubtedly a piece in progress!
One in every of my favourite articles from the previous decade is that this one from Will Richardson titled “Curiosity is the Cat.”
Richardson shares the next:
“I imply actually, with regards to studying, what comes earlier than curiosity?
…Consider most abilities, all of the stuff that doesn’t present up on the report card, all of the stuff that most likely issues greater than the stuff that reveals up on the report card, and also you’ll discover they’re steeped in curiosity. Drawback-solving, problem-finding, persistence, cooperation, adaptability, initiative…(add your 200 extra right here). Which of these doesn’t require being curious before everything? Are you able to be any of that when you’re not?”
Will Richardson
As Richardson argues, children are curious as they enter college, however does “education” gentle that flame or extinguish it?
One more reason that I believe being “curious” issues is that we reside in a time the place affirmation bias is extra prevalent than ever, and curiosity about why somebody feels the best way they do is a greater option to carry individuals collectively somewhat than dismissing them as a result of their ideas, data, and expertise are completely different from ours.
Curiosity is not only about info; it could actually additionally result in a greater understanding of others, particularly those that assume in a different way than we do.
This results in my subsequent “C.”
2. Connection
I really feel that this could be a multi-pronged “C” as “connection” may be with content material, others, and your self.
Here’s what I imply:
a) Reference to Content material – Everybody studying this e mail may have completely different takeaways primarily based on their expertise, data, and what they hope to get from the knowledge. I wrote about this in a submit titled “3 Causes Why All Studying is Private” and shared the next:
Content material is extra more likely to stick if we create our personal connections to the knowledge.
b) Reference to Others—We reside in a time with unimaginable alternatives to attach with individuals throughout the globe, however are we forsaking and taking with no consideration the chance to attach with individuals in our native communities? Each are essential, however I’m involved that we’re shedding an appreciation for what’s in entrance of us for what’s on the opposite facet of a display screen.
(P.S. I’m not simply speaking about college students!)
c) Reference to Self — Collaboration is crucial, however how can we contribute to others with out time to know ourselves? Personally, I attempt to incorporate many “brainwriting” actions within the skilled studying alternatives I ship as a result of it offers individuals time to course of for themselves and create their very own connections to content material earlier than they join with others (see what I did there?).
Additionally, I really like this quote:
Isolation and collaboration ought to work in tandem and never be thought-about opposites.
I thought-about making this a 3A and 3B state of affairs since creation isn’t a lot with significant consumption.
Years in the past, I bear in mind listening to John Medina, creator of “Mind Guidelines,” say this, and it at all times caught (paraphrasing his phrases beneath):
“Creation with out significant consumption is the equal of taking part in the air guitar: you would possibly know the motions, however you don’t know the best way to truly play.”
John Medina
Creation, although, is what I see as an endpoint or output from our time in training. What has finally been created from our time in faculties?
What we do with what we all know issues most in a time when we’ve entry to all the knowledge on the planet and to one another.
This was an excellent quote I additionally shared in “The Innovator’s Mindset” from The Middle for Accelerated Studying:
Creating “new meanings” from the content material we devour is essential.
I bear in mind seeing a stat years in the past (I do not know of the accuracy, however it’s wonderful for consideration and dialog) that mentioned one thing like this: 95% of individuals on-line devour content material, and solely 5% create it.
Is that true? I do not know.
However what’s the proportion of time college students spend in class consuming info versus creating it? I do not know the reply; it’s asking the query that issues.
I wrote this in “The Innovator’s Mindset” on the subject of creation, and I nonetheless imagine it to be true:
“Take into account how a lot deeper studying may very well be if ‘creation’ was a
non-negotiable within the studying for each us and our college students.”George Couros, The Innovator’s Mindset
If you would like creation to be a part of the classroom expertise, time should be offered in skilled studying experiences for the adults to do the identical. One of the simplest ways to vary the educational expertise for college students within the classroom is to create for the adults first.
So there you’ve gotten my 3 C’s. Truthfully, scripting this all down brazenly helps others of their studying expertise the best way it has helped my progress.
As I used to be scripting this e mail, I thought of how taking the time every week to ask questions and problem what we all know, join my very own studying, and create a mirrored image to share with others embodies what I simply wrote.
Pushed by curiosity, making connections and finally creating one thing with this info will assist me higher perceive my very own pondering.