Monday
Explained something very clearly today.
Students nodded.
I’ve learned that nodding means: we’ll think about this later when we’re alone.
Understanding rarely happens in the moment you explain it.
Tuesday
Handed out a worksheet.
Before reading it, a student sighed and said,
“Miss, this looks hard.”
They hadn’t read a single word.
They were reacting to the feeling of the page.
That felt important.
Wednesday
Watched a student draw arrows all over their page.
Cross things out. Circle bits. Rewrite parts.
It looked messy.
But it was the most honest thinking I’d seen all week.
By the end, they understood it perfectly.
The page, however, looked like it had survived a small accident.
Thursday
Tried something new.
Said, “You’re the teacher. Explain this.”
Then I stepped back.
The room got quieter.
But the thinking got louder.
Students reread things they would normally skim.
They argued gently about what things meant.
They slowed down without being told to.
Friday
Noticed something.
Students don’t struggle with Computer Science because it’s complicated.
They struggle because they think they’re supposed to understand it neatly, quickly, and without confusion.
They think the mess in their head means they’re failing.
When actually…
That mess is the thinking.
End of week reflection
The lessons that worked best weren’t the ones where everything looked tidy.
They were the ones where:
- pages had arrows
- thoughts were half-formed
- ideas were spoken before they were perfect
- students were allowed to work things out in front of you
Those were the lessons where students looked like they were figuring something out.
Not trying to look like they already knew it.
And that feels much closer to how learning actually works.
