Lessons from the Road

Recently, a colleague and I embarked on a road trip across the Midwest to attend a two-day symposium for teachers. Although we could have flown, we chose to hop in the car, turn up the tunes, and enjoy the countryside. A 13-hour drive there followed by a 13-hour drive home might seem a little crazy (okay, a lot crazy), but it provided a lot of think time, and think time for me almost always leads to classroom reflections. Here are five lessons from the highway that will benefit us on the road and at school.

1. Check your gas gauge often. While on our drive, we stopped for gas every few hours, because we were well aware of the consequences if we ran out. Teachers should do the same. We must take time for brief stops to rest and recharge. This can be as simple as a drink of water, a few deep breaths, calming music, conversation with a friend or colleague, or a walk around the school at recess. Ensuring our tank is full will enable us to be at our best for our students.

2. Have a backup plan. Being unfamiliar with the route, we planned ahead of time where we would stop for lunch and dinner. Unfortunately, the planned lunch stop was closed. There was nothing nearby, so we continued on and ended up traveling another hour before we found food. A backup plan would have been nice.

   In our classrooms, sometimes lessons don’t go as planned—the internet is out, the schedule changes, there is a surprise fire drill, or students need more exposure to a concept. Being able to pivot into Plan B guarantees that progress can continue, regardless of the hiccup.

3. Detours are just a different way of getting there. With only 345 miles to go until my exit, we came across a big orange Detour sign. Since the road ahead was closed, we had no choice but to follow it. The detour added 10 minutes to the journey, but we enjoyed beautiful scenery we never would have known about had it not been for the diversion. There is always more than one way to get there.

   The same is true when we teach. No two students are the same, and therefore they often take different paths to learning. Taking a detour or rerouting instruction is a common practice in meeting the needs of our students.

4. The road is a happier place when drivers use signals. Whether they’re changing lanes, exiting the interstate, or turning a corner, we can prepare better when drivers use their signals. The same is true for our students when we are teaching. When we provide the teaching target, we tell them, “Here is what we are learning today.” We provide directions to where we are going so that they can prepare and adjust accordingly.

5. The company you keep makes a difference. During the drive, we talked, laughed, shared, and collaborated together. Time passed more quickly and certainly more pleasantly. It was especially valuable to have someone by my side who could help with directions (and sometimes redirection). This applies at school, too. Our colleagues are a vital part of our success. Collaboration, sharing, and collegiality are crucial to a healthy work environment and have a huge effect on our teaching.

The number one lesson we learned? When we embark on a journey, the road may be long and filled with turns, hills, and even a few potholes, but if we have gas in the tank, a passenger for company, and a positive attitude, we will reach our desired destination.