smart people do it all on their own, right? #edchat

Yesterday I read a great post from a science education blogger I admire.

It was about a topic I hope to try out in my own classroom sometime soon.

I caught myself thinking, "If I were really smart, I would have thought of that myself!"

What a terrible thing to think about myself!  I am smart!  I was succumbing to the idea that smart people come up with ideas on their own, without help from other people.

I am smart. I had an idea of how I want to change something, and I went out looking for ways other people approached the same problem. I recognized a good idea from another teacher. I'll do some truly creative work later when I customize a solution for my own classroom.  I am learning, in the same way I want my students to learn.

 That realization made me feel good.