Running to me is a great metaphor for education. In order to explain this it is important to understand what running is to me. Running is a source of joy and a time to be myself. Running allows me to be my best self and is an exercise in self development. I hope that students are able to find this in learning. I think that the pursuit of self improvement can lead to joy and self-actualization for students and that this act of pursuit is something to be treasured. In running it is important to be aware of your surroundings, run at a comfortable pace, explore what is around you and occasionally run and move around others. These skills are applicable to classrooms as students will need to know who and where they are, how much they can handle and how far they can go, and how to navigate and work with the people they encounter. It is also important to note that running is a continuous exercise which is critical because learning is also a continuous activity. While running can be a source of joy it would be a mistake to conflate joy with ease. Running like learning is not always easy and it can be difficult to get out of bed and put on your shoes but nonetheless a good runner gets up runs anyway. My desire is for my students to be able to motivate themselves and pursue learning even when it is challenging. I hope to bring this idea of running into the classroom and I hope my students learn to embrace the continual practice that is learning.
