This week's entry comes from David Young, the English Department Chair at Hamilton Southeastern High School. It is in response to early entries from Brent Farrell and Jan Combs. Enjoy!
From David Young: Jet Fuel, Concrete, and Thinking
As an
English and Journalism teacher who was raised by a family full of teachers, I
make connections where there seemingly are none to be made; I’m blessed and
cursed to find the “lessons” in everything.
These
days, we hear a lot about teachers being asked to change their mindsets about teaching
and learning, which I see as a very difficult task for many; after all, it’s
almost impossible to change certain items once they have set. One of the most
difficult substances to change once set is concrete, which was what I happened
to be working with at 5:00 a.m. on Labor Day this year.
A few
years ago, my wife and I had a stamped concrete patio poured alongside the back
of our house, which requires a re-sealing every year to maintain. Just as I
have done the past three years, I prepped the job the day before: I checked the
weather forecast, cleaned and power washed the concrete, and got my brush,
roller and the 5 gallon bucket of sealer out, so that the only things left to
do were wake up and start. (If you don’t know, sealing concrete is just like
painting, except you can’t see where you have painted until the sun comes up.)
Even
though it was before dawn that day, I kept thinking back on the "Catch and
Release" and "Let It Go" Teaching and Learning blogs from this
year. Analogies stick with me (the fact that I was inhaling very strong fumes
to start the day might have had something to do with it!).
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| To avoid a re-do, David planned carefully before sealing his concrete patio. |
You
see, concrete sealer (along with being expensive, highly flammable and smelling
like jet fuel) has very specific application directions: you can't apply it in
direct sunlight, when it's too hot or cold, too thick or thin, or when rain is
forecasted for 24 hours—not an easy task to master for someone who only does
this once a year—and all have different repercussions if you do.
If you put the
sealer on too thick, when it's humid, or when rain is forecasted, moisture gets
stuck between the layers as it dries, causing it to cloud over and look
terrible (and you have to redo it all). If you apply it in direct sunlight or
when it's too hot or too cold, it will bubble and not stick, causing the seal
to fail and crack (and you have to redo it all). If you apply it too thin, it
will wear off early and possibly damage the concrete (and you have to redo it
all). But, if you do everything correctly, the end result is an amazing-looking
finish that is more durable and helps the concrete last longer.
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| The end result is worth the effort. |
Maybe
you've already made the same education connections as I did, but to me sealing
concrete directly relates to how I cover content in my classroom—the same line
of reasoning as the sealer directions: if I lay it on too thick or alongside
unrelated material, meaning becomes cloudy; if I’m not paying attention to the
environment around me or if I don't give content time to breathe and soak in,
meaning and skill won’t stick (or may get stuck without wanting to like the two
crickets who met their untimely death that morning); if I don't cover my bases
well enough by preparing early and checking my students’ skill level, the
meaning can have no purpose and be a waste because the time or skill level were
not right.
My
take-away lessons:
- Teaching is about depth, not breadth;
- Sometimes process is more important than product;
- It’s easy to mess up or miss something important without close reading skills;
- Mess-ups require re-dos;
- Slow down and take the time needed;
- Do the necessary prepping and pay attention to the steps along the way;
- Take a step back occasionally to see the “before” and “after”;
- Find a well-ventilated area when needed; and
- Even though the process sometimes stinks, it’s more than worth it in the end if done with care.
If I keep
these things in mind—whether in sealing my concrete patio each year or with the
lessons in my classroom—the end result will always be much more enjoyable and
meaningful, sometimes even for years to come.
Respond to David at dyoung@hse.k12.in.us
Have a great week, HSE. Seal their knowledge this week with careful preparation and by going deeper rather than wider. If things don't go well, back up and take a "re-do"!
Your HSE Teaching and Learning Team
- Jan Combs, Assistant Superintendent of Teaching and Learning
- Stephanie Loane, Director of Elementary Education
- Tom Bell, Director of Special Education
- Jeff Harrison, Director of Educational Technology
- Phil Lederach, Director of Secondary Education
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Links to the entries that started David's thinking:
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