Empty Your Cup!

Try this:

No matter what grade or subject I teach, on our first day, my first lesson will always be “Empty Your Cup!” I want my students to know that if they’re not open to learning, I can’t teach them. I swear, Socrates, Confucius, Siddhartha (Buddha), Jesus, or Muhammad couldn’t teach a bunch of reluctant, rebellious adolescents.

To drive the point home, before explaining any of this, I’ll take the whole class outside (so I don’t make a mess), and then, with no explanation, pour water into an already full cup.

After letting it overflow for a few seconds, I’d simply ask, “Everybody gets it, right?”

Of course, no one would. So we’d go back into class and I’d explain what “Empty Your Cup” is all about.