Should you “speed run” your teaching? If not, what’s the alternative?
I asked my kids, what is the opposite of a “speed run” – the method of playing a game as fast as possible. (For example, the record speed run for Super Mario Bros. is under 5 minutes.)
But some games – even ones you can speed run, reward taking your time. There are side quests, bonus levels, and simply beauty to enjoy by not speed running. Think the more recent Legend of Zelda games, which can be completed, my kids tell me, in five hours, but you can spend many more exploring and appreciating the artistry of the game designers.
The term for it is “full playthrough.”
As we’re transitioning into school mode, I want to urge you (and urge myself!) to consider not speed running the school year. I know that I’m motivated to get to peak music making as quickly as possible, and to teach and grow my students just as fast as I can. But I think there’s a lot of growth, human connection, beauty, and joy to experience if we take the time to do a full playthrough of the schools year.