Plans are made to be adjusted #letswrite2019

Today as we walked along the ocean watching a little seal follow us bobbing up and down we probably changed our plans for the day 3 or 4 times. We have been driving around so much we just wanted a chill day. We went to the mall and while I checked out the greatest comics and collectibles store ever Julie looked up things to do in Carlsbad. We ran to a Walmart and then changed plans and went for lunch. The. We were off to check out an old mission. The church was like some kind of art exhibit, very different from my church experience but beautiful. We walked the grounds and then decided to run to the pier in Oceanside. We saw little kids catching mackerel and other people trying to. A huge pelican landed right beside us on the ledge of the pier. Dolphins were swimming out a ways popping up and down. We then hit up the tide pools in Carlsbad before hitting up the farmers market and some great BBQ that we ate watching the sun go down. A full day full of adventure that was completely different from the day we planned at the start. Small changes throughout the day that cumulatively created a wonderfully relaxing day. A day we would have missed out on if we stuck to a predefined plan.

I think about the school day and the number of tweets I have read about New Years resolutions around school plans and “sticking to them” better. I can’t help but wonder why? Why would we allow ourselves and our students to be stuck to a plan informed only by a curriculum when there is so much more to a day than that? I think it is important to be planned, I love to have a good basic skeleton for the day. I love more to be moved, pushed or directed by my students.

I am planning this term to look more into inquiry. Letting my students build their learning based on what they wonder about. Providing a question or a framework but allowing them to see where it takes us. I have tried it before to mixed results. But now I have examples and friends from the twitter world to support me, to help me be valiant as my #oneword2019 proclaims. Living a purposefully flexible life can be scary but the possibilities that could be are really exciting.