You can't teach your students.

No one can.

In fact, no one can teach anyone anything.

But anyone can learn anything. Given the right tools, guidance, and time, any individual can teach himself.

Because of this, you must help your students learn how to learn. Guide them and show them the tools and strategies they can use to teach themselves. They've been doing it all along and can do it better still. That's where you come in.

Think hard. Students learn because of some and in spite of other teachers. To become the teacher they learn because of, you must become their lead learner.

Lead learner is a responsibility many principals take onto themselves. They become the lead learners of their building. They commit to learning alongside their staff and students. They commit to lifelong learning.

But the truth is that all teachers must embrace the same responsibility and become lead learners in their classrooms. We must never stop learning ourselves; be the change.

We must lead by example and show our students why we learn, what we learn, and how we learn. As the proof is in the pudding, we must show them the pudding; the effects of our learning.

In turn we must be willing to learn from our students and thank them for this education. When we do, they respond by learning from us and teaching themselves.

Our students aren't worker bees waiting for their queen to command. They need to be put in command of their own future.

We must no longer manage our classrooms. We must lead our students in learning to lead their own future.

If you're a teacher, you are a lead learner. Say it to yourself often and help your students learn how to learn.

You have the power to change the world. Use it often.

If you'd like an extra tool to help your students learn, check out my Learning How To Learn Book "Crush School: Every Student's Guide To Killing It In The Classroom." Here's a recent message I received from David Hunt (a teacher from Quebec) about it:

"Loving your book. I am using it with a group of high school boys who need executive skills training. I think it's actually sinking in!"