Saturday, November 26, 2016

Common Sense: Can it be Taught?

What is common sense, really? Recognizing things are not as close as they appear in a side mirror? Not blowing your hair dry in the shower? Being careful opening a microwave dinner as steam may cause burning? All of these however, are written out for us clear as day. We have warning labels. So are they common sense? Someone actually didn't know and had to be warned? These were in fact deemed so important as to make sure people are aware of the dangers. So is common sense an inherent skill we are born with or a trait we cultivate throughout our life-time? Do some people have a stronger sense than others, like a spidey sense? Ultimately is it necessary or can we be taught how to be prepared for the unexpected?

I watch my students interact and make daily choices. I try to observe more than I facilitate. It is interesting to see which students think about the task, plan ahead and how many don't. How some students are okay with having to repeat the activity after being unsuccessful while others get distraught after the littlest of errors. Mistakes are a part of being human, everyone makes them. Does that make them null of common sense? If we make more mistakes does that mean we lack common sense? Webster's Dictionary defines common sense as good judgement in practical matters. What if good judgement is used but failure still occurs? Can we teach common sense? Or are we as teachers more likely to teach confidence and organization and planning which can lead students to good judgement? Is judgement internal and fixed or fluid?

I listen to my own children as they laugh, think about the future, make decisions based on feeling and prior knowledge. I talk to them about being practical, I ask lots of questions. Why do you think that is the best route to take? Do you think that finances may prevent you from reaching that goal? What might be the best steps to follow to achieve that goal? But as a parent all I can do is model good choices, self-confidence, and realistic and rational decision making skills but they will ultimately make their own choices. So can we teach common sense or can we only teach them the strategies and problem-solving skills to develop their own common sense?

After being a mother for 26 years and a teacher for 15 I have come to the conclusion that common sense is personally based on prior experiences, parental influence, social and peer interaction and self-image. The more we model independence, critical thinking, problem-solving, inquiry, and collaboration the stronger the skills children develop. We provide them opportunities to grow, fail, discover, tinker and create, build their foundation of knowledge. We allow them to make choices, whether positive or negative but allowing them to learn from misjudgments makes the foundation stronger. It is the foundation that makes a building centered, sturdy and structured. The walls and ceiling may be what covers and protects but they would not exist without the foundation.

As a mother and a teacher every day I create challenging experiences where my children and students feel confident to overcome any hurdles in their way. Failure is an option, it is welcomed. But, it is followed by learning and growth. Failure is temporary. Confusion, doubt, fear are only temporary. Building off of these is what makes us human, what makes us develop and grow, what ultimately provides us with common sense. Common sense as personal and internal as it may seem is ultimately a base of who we are determined by a multitude of factors, family, education, growth mindset, and circumstances we may not be able to control. But as adults, our role is to foster this by showing every student they are valued, loved, respected, and appreciated because when we feel like we belong most of our common sense falls into place naturally.

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