Draw Inspiration from Knowing What You Don’t Know

I believe that titles and strict processes hinder our ability to create, resulting in the limiting of our capacity to inspire those around us. My past experiences in working with children taught me that when ego is removed from the creation of anything, possibilities are boundless! Children don’t seek out titles or the need to be the one in charge. Of course they run into conflict, but they always find a way of moving forward, together.

This TED video was another of a handful of talks that I enjoy watching time and again. Mr. John Hunter shares his life time of experience working with, and learning from, the children he has taught over many years.

When starting his teaching career the Administrator at the time asked Mr. Hunter…

… What do you want to do? And that question cleared the space. There was no program directive, no manual to follow, no standards in gifted education…and she cleared such a space that I endeavored to create such a space for my own students that they create meaning from their own understanding.

As a result of this insight, Mr. Hunter was able to make wise choices over time about how to lead his students to greater insights and understanding…

I’ve learned to seed control of the classroom over to the students over time. There is a trust and understanding and dedication to an ideal that I simply don’t have to do what I thought I had to do as a beginning teacher – to control every response in the classroom. It’s impossible. Their collective wisdom is much greater than mine and I admit it to them openly!

Allowing his own students to experience the lessons being taught without restrictions, one young man was able to comprehend the philosophical complexity of Sun Tzu…

…now I’m feeling really weird because I’m living what Sun Tzu said, one week. He said those who go into battle and win will want to go back and those who lose in battle will want to go back and win. I’ve been winning battles so I’m going back into battles – more battles – and I think it’s weird to be living what Son Tzu said!

this was followed by Mr. Hunter’s statement…

I get chills every time I see that. That’s the kind of engagement you want to have happen. I can’t design that, I can’t plan that, and I can’t even test that. It’s self-evident assessment we know that’s an authentic assessment of learning. We have a lot of data but I think we go beyond data with the truth about what’s going on.

I think we lose great opportunities as designers when we spend too much time focused on what others in our industry are doing. Perhaps it’s time to spend more time following and learning from those outside our field such that we can draw inspiration from a variety remarkable industries and professions.

To paraphrase Mr. Hunter, as a personal message to those who have guided and helped me in my own career…

On behalf of all the [designers and thought leaders] on whose shoulders I’m standing… Thank you. Thank you!