Beige Socks

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Can Christopher Walken teach us a lesson about education? I think so. Check out his performance in this Super Bowl ad from Kia to see what I mean.

In addition to being very clever, this commercial caused me to ask these reflective questions:

Am I a teacher or administrator who always wears beige socks? Not literally of course, but do I spend each day doing the same thing, never stepping out of the box to give my students learning opportunities they’ll remember?

There are times, yes, when beige socks are OK. But am I content to blend in, to never try something new? Am I walking through my career like a pair of beige socks, not standing out and being remembered by my students? Are my students uninspired and bored by my “beige socks?”

Or am I a teacher/administrator who is exciting, who expects more, who has pizazz? Like the world’s most exciting pair of socks.

Do I stand out to my students? Does my practice cause students to say, “Whoa!” like the Kia Optima did for Richard?

If our educational closets resemble Richard’s in the commercial, filled with bland “outfits” that all look the same, perhaps it’s time to add some color, to try something new.

​Let’s ditch the beige socks.