Chalking Academic Racetracks

Dear Teacher,  
 

When Dave Palazzolo of Salt Lake City, Utah installed a security camera on his home, he never knew what would happen.  Soon after, he was repeatedly alerted of someone trespassing on his property.  After studying the captured feed, Dave witnessed a four-year old making loops in his driveway on a daily basis.  The boy would predictably veer from the expected public sidewalk route and spin loop-de-loops with his bicycle on Dave's pavement.  

Rather than being frustrated at the intruder and his off-the-beaten-path strategy, Dave intentionally chose to embrace it.  The next time the child cycled by, he was shocked to see a fullblown racetrack drawn with chalk around the driveway.  The child didn't hesitate and rode the curvy route with excitement, thrilled with the loops drawn out by Dave.  Daily, Dave went out and created a new route, paving the way for contagious creativity throughout the neighborhood.  Others started "routing" on their driveways, thanks to Dave's leadership -- a trend that eventually sprouted chalked-out drives throughout the country.

And you, Teacher, there in your classroom notice students who "veer from the path" of traditional learning.  Like Dave, you study them, looking for their individual strengths and preferences.  You don't hesitate.  You're not irritated.  Instead, you map out a new learning path - one that embraces that child's learning style and instructional needs.  You daily go into your classroom, chart your strategy for embracing the child's needs, and form the racetrack on which your student will ride.  It's through your contagious creativity that other teachers will model your student support, sprouting other personally-tailored, diversified instruction for many other students.

Thanks for loving different drivers!
Mindy

Christian Educator & School Counselor