Don't be afraid to step out of your box

This morning as I was driving to work I was listening to the radio and the DJ's were talking about a banana.  I know what you are thinking; what does a banana have to do with teaching?  Trust me! So they were talking about bananas and how they grow in the wild.  Little did I know that the stem that the bananas grow from get stronger the heavier the banana gets.  It isn't until they get their adult size that they have enough weight to actually fall from the tree or the farmer cuts them down.  The DJ's went on to talk about how people peel a banana and that a lot of people have trouble peeling it.  The reason for this trouble is we are doing it all wrong.  The stem is the strongest part you see and that is the why it causes problems.

In the wild monkeys peel from the bottom, not only because it is easier but because the stem is where spiders lay their eggs and who wants to eat a spider egg?  Not me!  You see eating a banana is a lot like teaching.  We all do it the same because it is what we are use to and what we see others doing, but is it the BEST way?  We were taught multiplication facts by drill and kill but what if song and motion were a better way?  We learned geometry by memorizing vocabulary with flash cards, but what if a "headbands" game was a better way?  Reading doesn't have to be from curriculum, there is an abundance of great literature at our fingertips; use it!

Someone you may view as a monkey might have an easier way.  So don't be afraid to try something new!  Don't be quick to judge and don't be fearful of stepping out of your box!