What’s your Point?

I grew up with educators as parents. My dad was a high school teacher and counsellor, and my mom went back to University later in life to become an elementary school teacher. I was incredibly privileged to have parents who created an environment at home where learning was encouraged, and we were fully supported. Early in my school career, my dad would sit beside me at the kitchen table and help with my homework. Whenever I wrote something, he always asked, “What’s your point?”. As I grew, I learned that I needed to have an answer to that question before sitting down with Dad for homework help. While writing my sixth-grade speech for the public speaking contest, I confidently sat down with what I knew was an excellent idea, only to hear my dad say, “Great ideas, what’s your point?”. This supportive question has become essential to my teaching philosophy: why am I teaching what I’m teaching, and why do the students need to know this? 

In this digital age, we often find great lesson ideas on social media and decide to try them. While these ideas can be engaging, we sometimes realize that we are not clear on the learning objective or purpose behind the activity. Knowing your “point” is a critical aspect of teaching. Going in with a clear understanding of what you want and what you expect your students to learn brings clarity and direction to your lessons and your classroom. We can better hit the target when we know what we are aiming for. 

Knowing your point, clearly, allows you to begin to find or create activities that are directly connected to your learning intention. Start with your point and then look for the ideas and activities to teach and practice that skill or concept.

Teacher Tip - Before planning a lesson or unit - What do you want students to know? How will you know they know it?

We can better hit the target when we know what we are aiming for.