On the Fearless Schools podcast, I heard Rick Wormeli, author and National Board Certified Teacher, say that he is working at unlearning this year. His frame is I used to think _____, but now I think _____, which I think is fantastic. What could be more timely and arguably necessary than to think again?!
As a Star Wars fanatic, I have always been in favor of the character Yoda’s directive that we “must unlearn what [has been] learned.” It has always been a powerful processing model for me. Even when I have felt that I know all there is to know about that topic, to break free from the thought that my learning was done has been life changing, especially as an educator.
How often do we lean toward sense-making for efficiency and completion rather than meaning-making for creativity and connection? Think about that: Our brains are wired to keep tasks simple, to expend the least amount of energy possible. It does this so we are ready and able to take on the larger, harder tasks when they come. It is why there are days when you feel physically tired (exhausted) even though you have only been sitting. But if the lean was toward being done and simplicity, then there was little to no critical thinking. There was no wrestling with new thoughts or ideas, no challenging assumptions, no breaking of dependencies, no replacing or updating habits or routines. We love “if it isn’t broken, why fix it?” We love digging into our beliefs when we should probably be questioning them.
So this directive helps me not settle, to break things because making something new can make it better. The “old” is rigid, limiting, and hinders growth. It typically is not fun and creates repetitive ruts. But this directive brings energy by forcing me to look at replacing or updating ineffective mental models, to be open to new and other perspectives, and to move beyond past beliefs to reach full potential. While I might be tired, it is a “good tired” with an invigoration of possibilities and hope.
This idea of reexamining and re-framing, of thinking in a new way and then sharing with others, is what I have come to love, especially with those that are willing to put forth their mental energy as well. I do not want my doctors or dentists thinking and using only past practices, I do not want my flight crews unaware of shifts in weather patterns and climates, I do not want our emergency responders with outdated tools and resources, and I certainly do not want my teachers approaching 21st century learners with just the 20th century’s strategies. So I reexamine, I unlearn and imagine a world where creativity and connection lead the way. And I hope and invite others to reach out and join me in creating communities where confidence overcomes doubt and commitment to a better tomorrow trumps disagreement. I work to “empty the cup” of ideas that are limiting, flawed, outdated, or just plain incorrect, replacing them with current, accurate, and flexible thinking that welcomes with kindness.
At the beginning of January I wrote about resolutions and why I do not typically have any, yet now at the beginning of February, I feel I have found something that can be impactful for my future: I used to think that resolutions were not valuable, but now I think that by unlearning what I once had learned, that adaptability, creativity, and success can be mine in 2026!
Weeks at a Glance
- Student-athlete Academic Suspensions - Wednesday, February 4
- Information/Tour 5th grade - Tuesday, February 10 @ 5:30, elementary campus
- Information/Tour MS - Tuesday, February 10 @ 6:30, middle school campus