#199. Who Is Responsible For What?

While watching television, I heard a line that made me stop and think. “I’m responsible for what I say, not what you hear.” On the surface, those words are quite powerful, seem somewhat logical, and could be used to shut down a conversation pretty darned quickly. But for us as teachers, no words could be more untrue! We all know that it’s not what we say, it’s what our students hear. That is pretty much all that matters. I can give what I think is a great explanation for how to do something, but all that matters is what those students hear, and even more, understand. Certainly, assessing their understanding, and their ability to transfer that newfound knowledge, as well as taking small steps toward progress, are crucial in making certain they understand what we say. But simply remembering how disengaging and caustic those words from that television show can be will help us remember that we are as responsible for what our students hear as we are for what we say.

Peter Loel Boonshaft, Director of Education
KHS America