At some time in our lives, we all have heard insanity defined as doing the same thing the same way, over and over again, and expecting a different outcome. A more literal definition would be “extreme foolishness; folly; senselessness; foolhardiness” (The Definition, 2017). I would argue that the definition that we have become accustomed to definitely meets the more literal definition found at Dictionary.com. Our problem does not lay in our ability to define insanity, but rather in our ability to recognize it in ourselves and in our own practices.
A prime example of this is found in the way that we teach in our classrooms. Oh sure, we have heard many different speakers, presenting at many different conferences, all preaching that we need to change the way that we do things. We fall in love with the ideas that they share and say that we will incorporate them into our classrooms. But then what happens? We go back to our classrooms and go right back to the way that we have always done things. Come on admit it, I’m right. As a matter of fact, I know that I am right because I have sat beside you at those conferences, made the commitment right alongside of you, and then went home and fell right back into the rut of doing things the same old way and getting the same old results.
Why do we continue to do this to ourselves, and more importantly, why do we continue to do this to our students? I believe that the answer can partly be found in how we were trained. Let’s be honest, sometimes trying to impart knowledge on our students can be a tad stressful, like trying to herd kittens on crack, and in times of stress we always fall back on what we know. The problem here is that by falling back on what we know, we are actually creating more stress and only adding to the cycle. The truth is that the way we used to do things is not the best way to do things. We need to change our brains, the way that we think, and recognize that the “Good Ol’ Days” were not that good after all. In the words of George Bernard Shaw, “Progress is impossible without change, and those who cannot change their minds cannot change anything.” (George Bernard Shaw, 2017).
There, that was easy! Now that we have changed our minds we can begin to change the way we educate our students. Oh, if it were only that easy, right? Every one of us has great ideas floating around in our brains, ideas that could improve the educational experience for each of our students and lead to better outcomes. If we have these ideas, why are we not putting them into practice in our classrooms? Again, the answer is change. People are inherently afraid of change because they are afraid of failure or fear that it will not make a difference. But, how will we know if we never try. Sure, we may (read that as will) make mistakes, but our mistakes guide our success, they do not define it! Old Mr. Shaw had something to say about this too, “Success does not consist in never making mistakes but in never making the same one a second time.” (George Bernard Shaw, 2017). Making mistakes is uncomfortable and discomfort is a catalyst for growth! We need to embrace our ideas, no matter how wacky or weird they may be, and try something new! What is the worst that could happen? No change? If that is the case, then we are no worse off than we were before. What do we have to lose?
I will leave you with powerful quote from a highly successful man, Steve Jobs. He stated, “Here’s to the crazy ones. The misfits. The rebels. The troublemakers. The round pegs in the square holes. The ones who see things differently. They’re not fond of rules. And they have no respect for the status quo. You can quote them, disagree with them, glorify or vilify them. About the only thing you can’t do is ignore them. Because they change things. They push the human race forward. And while some may see them as the crazy ones, we see genius. Because the people who are crazy enough to think they can change the world, are the ones who do.” (20 Inspirational, 2014).