Hobby Lessons Influence Teaching Lessons

February 10, 2012

In an effort to achieve a bit more balance and enjoyment in my life, I decided to try my hand at a new hobby. It has been an interesting process. I have learned a lot. Here are my four biggest takeaways:

1. Reading non-fiction is an absolutely imperative life skill. Non-fiction is so much more than school text books. I found myself needing to read the instructions of my new hobby repeatedly, desperately trying to glean my next steps. I also learned that reading the pictures in tandem with text is essential for deepest comprehension.
2. When something gets too difficult or frustrating, it is okay to walk away and come back later.
3. You have to come back later. Perseverance is necessary when trying to learn something new. I've been called a pit bull at times in my life, which may or may not be complimentary, but perseverance serves me well in my new hobby.
4. Lastly, new learning is fostered best when one has an arsenal of strategies handy; an example to follow, a mentor to ask, and even trial and error.

If you are like me, your mind has already begun to wander to how these lessons connect to our work with students.

1. Our children deserve fabulous instruction on how to read non-fiction, all kinds of non-fiction. Eighty percent of their reading lives will be comprised of this kind of literature.
2. Teach children that it is okay to break away from a task and come back to it later with fresh eyes and a renewed brain.
3. Struggle is okay, and perseverance is rewarded. It can be uncomfortable to watch children struggle, but struggle isn't always bad. In fact, we should model the struggle inherent in challenge and the reward that perseverance leads to; new knowledge, understanding, or skill.
4. Equip students with a vast supply of strategies. Whether they're strategies for reading, writing, or solving complex math problems, a student who has something else to try when their first idea doesn't work will inevitably be successful.

Here's to you, your hobbies, and whatever new learning you are currently embracing. May these lessons ring true for you as well.