Clear as Mud
In theory, I believe in practicing what you teach. In reality, that’s easier said than done, especially when you’re learning something new.
Last year, my sister-in-law signed me up for an endurance cycling event. I thought, no problem! I know how to ride a bike. But out on the road, panting up a hill and falling behind my husband, I was quickly reminded that knowing and doing are two different things. When he cheerfully called back, “Don’t forget to take in the view!” I responded, “Don’t forget to never talk to me again.”
Developing a growth mindset is easy when I’m the one saying: take risks, make mistakes, reflect, try again. In the moment, when I’m the one struggling, it’s more frustrating than inspiring.
That disconnect—between what I know and what I can do in the moment—showed up again recently in a workshop. I know what it takes to make instructions clear: articulate the why, break tasks into manageable steps, and give people time to process. And yet, ours didn’t land the way we intended.
Mistakes Were Made (Intentional Passive Voice)
After a recent workshop, we received a piece of critical feedback: “The instructions weren’t clear.” And they were right. The activity was new and, in practice, a little disjointed.
Our goals were to (1) build a shared understanding of key pedagogical terms and (2) identify what defines instructional excellence at their school—their “secret sauce.” Here’s what we asked participants to do:
Round 1: “Compare your understanding of instructional core terms with those from Research for Better Teaching, Universal Design for Learning, and Culturally Responsive Teaching and the Brain. How do the definitions align or differ? What surprised you?”
Round 2: “As a table group, rank the four most critical elements for excellent teaching at your school. Use markers, arrows, or Post-its to group related terms. Create a diagram that shows relationships between key terms and elements.”
In our heads, this was a strong task. In practice, many people weren’t sure what ‘instructional core’ meant. Others didn’t know how to move from individual reflection to group consensus. Some never reached the diagram at all. The directions were too dense for the time available.
The Fix Is In
After reflecting on the feedback, here’s what I’d do differently:
1. Name the goal, then break it down. I’d still start with the why behind what we were doing—to develop a shared language around teaching and learning and to define excellent teaching, but then I’d give steps one at a time, pausing after each for people to work.
Step 1: Silently read and annotate the provided terms and definitions. (10 min.)
⭐️ Put a star next to familiar terms
✏️ Add annotations where:
the meaning differs from your prior understanding
You have questions
The idea challenges or extends your thinking
Step 2: At your table, discuss: (10 min.)
Which terms or definitions felt aligned with your understanding
Which ones surprised or challenged you
Step 3: As a group, prioritize and synthesize: (20 min.)
Identify and agree on the four most critical elements from the list
Create a visual diagram that represents how these elements relate to one another
2. Show what it looks like. A visual example before they start could help clear up confusion. I’d say, here’s how I clustered the related terms and used arrows to show the relationships — yours will most certainly look different, but this a starting point.
3. Have people repeat the instructions back. With students, I’d ask them to restate the steps and timing. With adults, I’d read the room, but the goal is still to make the task clear before starting.
4. Be explicit about time, materials, and roles. You have five minutes. Here’s a timer. Assign roles if needed. Again, with students, I would assign roles, like one person takes notes, one moves the cards, and one keeps time.
5. Close with reflection. I’d also ensure there was time for reflection. Closing with What did this surface for you? What helped your group clarify its thinking? What would make this activity better next time?
There's research showing that people with growth mindsets are better at recognizing their own errors. So I’m trying to learn here, with hopefully a little more grace than I showed on the bike.
