Sunday, March 01, 2015

Fine Dining: Better Teaching

Last night I had the chance to dine at a terrific restaurant, 80 Thoreau. I highly recommend.

Of course as I sat there taking in the wonderful sights, smells, and ambiance of the restaurant, I couldn't help but see it through my teaching/learning lens.

First, I thought a lot about +Seth Godin posts. I think he'd love the restaurant as the way it was run was all about creating a special, welcoming experience for the diners. There was no doubt that time and attention were given to every aspect of the restaurant from the entry way to the multiple seating arrangements to the staff and the delicious food presentation and tastes.

I also thought about our classrooms and the difference between a "drive-through" mentality and a "fine dining" mentality. We want to create the "fine dining" mentality in our schools and classrooms because we know that leaves students with a deep, powerful education rather than a shallow "drive-through" experience that never leaves you satisfied.

80 Thoreau leaves you satisfied and looking forward to the next time you'll get to experience such a wonderful occasion. That's the way we want students to feel about the learning and experiences they have with us in our classrooms.

I'm sure I'll have more to say on this in future posts, but for now, how does your teaching/learning work reflect "fine dining" rather than a "drive through" experience?