If you are bored it's your own fault.

While attending my first Ohio State Marching Band Bowl game (Rose Bowl '85) I heard some other rookie say (while on a Universal Studios tour) "I'm Bored!” This comment was welcomed with a chorus of comments; "Oh my god", "what?", "loser!" One reaction that stuck with me and became the band's mantra of every bowl game; ”If you are bored it's your own damn fault."

In the most recent Edutopia magazine I read an article by Marc Prensky that explores "How tech obsessed kids would improve our schools." The point I wish to focus on my rebirth as a blogger is the boredom factor of education.

Yes I agree many teachers can only provide the "Blah, Blah" of lecture and not truly involve the students in the lesson content or make it understandable to a class as a whole. But, how are we going to teach students to just listen and learn?

Observation/Interpretation is one of the most powerful tools that we use in our daily lives. In the competitive world will we survive because someone tailored their presentation towards your uniquely different life experiences? Will your competitors stop to check your understanding of what they just said? Or, will your boss always have time to take that extra step to make a project fun and engaging when facing deadlines? Sometimes you just have to learn it and learn it quickly.

Yes I know we are supposed to "Edutain" our students in order to keep them engaged. But when are we going to expect our students to engage themselves to someone's content rich albeit fact based and dry presentation.

My trombone professor in college once told me that everyone has something to offer. He said: "If you get an opportunity to have a lesson with a great trombonist, even if they are not a great teacher, schedule the lesson. It's your responsibility to learn from that person."

I feel that balance is needed when we are trying to make learning easier for our students but learning is not easy. Learning takes practice. We can only control ourselves and sometimes you will have a teacher that will be dry and boring. But, does that mean they don't know their content?

This was a great article and I purchased two of Marc Prensky's books. But, changing how we teach is an Edutopian attitude. I am not willing to trust every teacher my kids have, they will have some bad teachers that have great things to offer. We will serve our students better if we are upfront with our students and we tell them we expect them to have a voice but first they must have an ear and an eye that observes and interprets. This is what I have to say. If you got bored whose fault was it?