Dead Ends

There are many names for those things we drive on.  There are roads.  There are streets.  There are boulevards.  There are avenues.  There arelanes.  There are expressways. There are parkways (interesting that we drive on a “park”way, but park in a “drive”way). There are state highways.  There are interstate highways.  There are roundabouts. There are gravel roads.  There are dirt roads.  Recently, I was driving on a thoroughfare(there’s another name) and for quite a stretch there were signs posted at each intersection that read “Dead End.”  Hmmm. Each of these lead to cul-de-sacs that provided no way through; just a simple in and out.  There was no means of passing through unless you wanted to “four-wheel” it through someone’s property and enjoy time in a concrete cell with bars. Then, as I retraced my route, I noticed that I had missed the intended way out; probably because I wasn’t paying attention to the way out as I was concentrating on the road blocks and not the passage.  The way out was there all along. I missed it because all of my attention was on the road blocks. 

Far too often, we get on roads that lead to dead ends.  If that is a personal issue, I would suggest an updated GPS or consulting Rand McNally (map makers for our youthful readers).  It’s a little different in the classroom.  We are not just on the road, but we are leading others down the road.  That road should end in success.  It should never end with a “dead end.”  That’s a dead end in the mind of your students; not yours.  Yes, there perspective on where they are heading is extremely important to the enrollment of themselves in the whole process.  The teacher needs to provide a road map for students that ultimately leads to their success.  A direct correlation is that their success will be your success.  So, plan your route (lesson planning) toward alignment with the assessments to be given and make certain that the assessments given are aligned with the objectives – what you want them to get smarter about.  If there are no long-term goals, then essentially, there are no roads because there is no destination to reach.  If the goals and assessments do not align, then the road will lead to a dead end; heck, it might not even be paved!  If the instruction does not align with the assessments, they you are essentially on the autobahn without a steering wheel.  Be certain that you keep your kids off of dead end streets.

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Okay, I will print it – my Browns were robbed last Sunday against the Patriots.  This Sunday, it’s the game all of you Chicago fans have been waiting for as your opportunity to let me have it = it’s the Browns vs. Da Bears on the shores of frigid Lake Erie.  Sorry, no monetary bets…I don’t have that much money.