If you have not yet read Shh We Have A Plan by Chris Haughton, I suggest you pick up a copy. While the picture book is targeted at 2-5 year olds, I believe that we as adults can take a lesson from the four friends trying to catch a bird.
In the story, three of the friends are so focused on their plan, that they forget what they are trying to accomplish in the first place. They believe that their plan is the best way to catch a bird, while the fourth friend has other ideas.
In education, we often become enamored with our plans. We sometimes do so at the peril of the ultimate goal. We so often forget our why, the reason behind the plan.
The author includes a quote at the end of the book:
We must recognize that our forceful plans are not always the best way to accomplish our goal. We must depend on the understanding of our why to move everyone forward together. We must always be willing to adapt our plan to meet our original why. Let’s recognize that even with the best laid plans, it is often the simplest of strategies that gets the job done.
Just as the four friends find out, it’s not always Plan A that works out. Keep in mind the other 25 letters of the alphabet.
Rich (@RACzyz)