I was looking through a few videos from this last school year and I came across this unpublished video of Tyler, an OMS student, trying to cook a hotdog on a very cold winter day. I remember walking into my office last year when I saw Tyler outside crouched over this unusual looking contraption. I immediately grabbed my coat, a flip camera and hustled outside for a quick interview. As I reviewed this clip today I thought to myself, how often do we go crazy about learning in school? When I say crazy, I don't mean going literally insane, but rather willing to risk a bit in order to push ourselves and empower others to learn in new ways. Bob Miller, Okoboji's Superintendent, always asks potential candidates in job interviews if they are risk takers. I love this question because it is very telling of a person's comfort with change and new ideas. I also think it gets at the heart of the most important attribute a teacher and administrator can have: Adapability. We are always talking about how we are preparing our students for an unpredictable world. Adaptability, therefore, becomes a necessary and vital character component for all teachers and administrators because the only thing we can predict with certainty is that there will be change. So, come on, embed a bit of crazy into your learning experiences. It doesn't matter if you are a parent, student, teacher, or principal. Your willingness to risk, think, and learn will encourage others to do the same. Thanks Tyler for being a little "crazy" and inspiring me.
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