Of disorganization, Fruit Loops and free students

This is my studying routine: I like to sit on my bed, listening to music, watching videos, with the TV on, cats messing with my papers while I highlight in the most colorful way possible all my papers! Yes, I know what you´re thinking: disorganized much? Totally! I find organization in my mess!

Somebody once told me that creative minds are disorganized, then I am the Da Vinci of creativity!

My papers, when I am done highlighting and taking footnotes, look like a Fruit Loop bowl: little colorful dots on white.

It´s hard for teachers to look at my way of studying as effective, but it´s something I learned along the way: you have to do what feels natural to you, when it comes to learning. I´m not sure if quoting the many intelligences of Howard Gardner can be applied here, as it´s hard to fit 7 billion individual in a mix and match of 12 types of intelligence. As for me, I can tell you for sure: music is primordial for me to learn; colors help me a lot, too. I have to write, preferably with 6B pencil super sharpened, and even if I never look back at what I wrote, it´s the writing it that makes me remember. And distractions are welcome, believe it or not! Well, distractions are not really an option for me, having 7 cats makes me constantly alert to what they are breaking or destroying at the time.

With that in mind, my classroom is somewhat more flexible: I let students listen to music, eat, chew gum, even look at their social medias from time to time. Why? Well, granted, it is a looooot harder to manage, but  I realize they learn more, in their own way, just like I learn in my own way, the time spent in class is so much more productive for me. So why force an introvert to sit in pair, if I know he/she feels more comfortable alone? Why impose on students the no-gum or candy rule, if in the real world they will? Plus the sugar hype can help! Giving them room to experiment what kind of learning strategy works for them makes my classes run so much smoother; of course, I still have to keep an eye on them, but if I prohibited everything, wouldn´t I have to keep an eye on them just as well?

So, hey teacher, leave the kids alone!