Work Smarter, Not Harder

Back in the Dark Ages, when I was working in the private sector, I had a boss who was an excellent programmer and techie; the sort of enviable person who found time to keep pace with all of the latest industry-related developments while still carving out time to read Bulgakov.


His favorite quote was "Work smarter, not harder".  I am not a person enamored with quotes, and I don't normally pick them up as mantras, but those four words floored me.  The simple sentiment changed my professional life.


(I constantly catch myself muttering these words when I'm knee-deep in paper scraps, with hands covered in marker smudges, trying to formulate the next effective learning experience... all educators can attest to the fact that the teaching life is NOT for those who like to move leisurely.)


Work smarter, not harder.


What does this mean for the life of an elementary school student?


It means so much:

Critical thinking

Working smarter means thinking critically.  It means that we utilize textbooks but we do not rely on them for answers.  It means that often, if not all of the time, there is more than one excellent answer to an open-ended question.  Second graders can pick apart a very broad question about what a community is.  They go off on amazing tangents (Even animals have them.  - awesome thought!) and they investigate all aspects of the subject.  We learn and question together.

Creative problem solving

Mia is tenacious in her quest to complete the Tangram puzzle.

It means being given a (seemingly) daunting task, and pushing through it.  It means trial and error.  It means that you have to make adjustments in your thinking during the course of your work.  It means recognizing that "difficult" doesn't equal "impossible".

Collaboration

This team works on their tower made of marshmallows

Tyler, Austin, and Celian developed a very strong model.

There's nothing like a room full of engaged seven year olds.

Collaboration is probably my favorite effect of the work smarter mantra.  We rely on each other.  We find out our specific talents and we recognize the talents of others.  We communicate respectfully and excitedly.  When our marshmallow towers inevitably fall, we don't get angry but rather look for a new solution together.

This year is going to be an awesome experience of practicing these new skills.

(Trivia Postscript:  "Work smarter, not harder" is attributed to Carl Barks, the creator of Scrooge McDuck.)