"Keep it simple stupid"
This
has been a philosophy of our family for some time. There are rare occasions when becoming over complex works to your benefit, as demonstrated by Heath and Heath. When I began teaching, I had elaborate lesson plans that were planned to the minute. When a student would ask a question and the discussion would veer in another direction I would panic - how was I going to stay on my script. I would write scripts for the entire unit - pages and pages of notes... I tried to plan and guide discussion and as evidenced in our class you are never quite sure where those discussions may take us. So I adopted the keep it simple stupid philosophy for lesson plans - where there was a large concept I hoped to achieve- but the route we took to get there was up for discussion and may not be similar for every class I teach.
Raising children has also confirmed the principle of keeping it simple. We once visited our friends with older children (I wish I had a visual to attach - it was before the time of camera phones - can you imagine such a time?!) and they had tacked to the cabinets Will's contract. There were an number of consequences and a list of the violations. The violations and consequences were in various marker colors, suggesting the contract was a living document always evolving as the need arises. When asked, "what's up with the Will's Bill of Rights?" - the answer was, we were looking for a way to be consistent. We were not keeping our punishments consistent for bad behavior. Aha - keep it simple - my children go to their room just by a look. Their initial punishment is always the same - regardless of the infraction. Then we child and I determine the cause of being sent to the room and what other consequences are necessary. Generally the child determines their "punishment" and 9/10 times their punishment is much harsher than Michael or I could imagine. Keeping it simple - I am moving on to the unexpected...
Leave them Wanting More...
For my literature friends all I need to say is A Rose for Emily. There are few stories I enjoy teaching more than A Rose for Emily because students miss the details of the story as the read for completion rather than for enjoyment. As students rush through the rather lengthy (by nonreader standards) short story they are focused on completion and they miss the beautiful subtle hints Faulkner provides as he develops the character of Miss Emily. So when they come to class with a foundational reading, you hear students commenting on the stupid story about an old lady who refused to pay her taxes and smelled bad. The more close readers will finally spill the beans and say in some way - the stink was the dead guy she was sleeping with! What? Books fly open and pages turn and desperate hurried skimming ensures to find where Faulkner said she was sleeping "with a dead dude". In fact he doesn't - he makes the reader figure it out from the long grey strand of hair they pull from the pillow beside the rotted corpse. At this point students demand answers that Faulkner does not provide (he expected his readers to think - shocking I know).
As for the title of this - my sister is a fairly charismatic individual and at times loses sense of herself and her husband has taught her to "leave them wanting more". We have 2 very silly children when Aunt Lilly arrives and we too have to remind them to stop before you become obnoxious - there is a fine line.
Here is a case of my sister needing to leave them wanting more... aha wine...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gm884jrEs2g
Speaking of obnoxious, I have a few commercials my students wrote text analysis on for your viewing pleasure. They all were "good" commercials because they are unexpected. One, I think miss the message (buries the lead - or forgets the lead) and I am interested to see what you think?
Here they are - by offering 3 videos I have violated the Keep it simple philosophy as well as leave them wanting more premises - so I apologize up front.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PfJb1E3fnHs
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Has8vDacmo8
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dPZuBNH6d00
