"Do or do not. There is no try."

Hopefully Disney doesn't ruin the harsh wisdom of Yoda

I hate to be blasphemous, but some times I wonder if Master Yoda is wrong. When it comes to customized learning, I feel like I am in the "do" column, especially when it comes to the ideas of voice and choice in my classroom. I also believe that trying is important. I feel like much of the last two years I have been trying to properly implement aspects of what we're calling customized learning in my classroom so that I can build to this point of implementation. I also see that educators who haven't been slowly building to that point suddenly find themselves overwhelmed. Clearly, the ant and the grasshopper didn't get their point across.

With all that being said, you won't learn to swim if you stay out of the water. CL isn't something that can be done half-hog. Once you start to switch to a proficiency-based system, you'll notice that it can't coexist with traditional grades. You'll see you have to start giving students choices, and you'll bump up against the physical constraints built around the old world. All of this will frustrate you, but with a growth mindset you will find ways to adapt and grow. Do or do not, there is no try indeed.