Education should build independence, but our system creates dependence!

!!! You can change this!!!

 It starts with how you respond to struggle—are you building independence, or reinforcing reliance? Let me show you what I mean…

Back in 2003, I had a learner named Peter. He struggled with fractions—and when I say struggled, I mean big time. Every time he raised his hand, I’d swoop in like a hero. I’d explain. Solve. Do the problem FOR him. He’d nod, smile, and move on.

I thought I was a great educator.

What I was really doing? Creating dependence.

Peter wasn’t learning to solve problems. He was learning that when things got hard, I would step in. The message I sent?
"You're not capable of figuring this out without me."

And it hit me years later: I was failing Peter—not in math, but in life.

Education is supposed to make people independent.
But I was doing the opposite. I was robbing Peter of his ability to believe in himself.

So, I changed.

Now, when I see a learner struggling, I don’t jump in with the solution. I observe:

→ Is this learner in their panic zone or stretch zone? If they’re not in panic—I don’t need to do anything.

→ If they are close to panic:

• Are their peers noticing they need help?
• Are the peers stepping in?
• Who needs support with relatedness: the learner or their peers?

If the learner isn’t asking their peers for help, it’s a signal. I don’t need to help them with math—I need to help them and their peers build stronger connections.

It’s not about fixing the problem; it’s about fixing the environment that makes them feel like they can’t solve it themselves.

That’s when I realized: The best educators don’t just teach subjects—they teach people how to think, act, and grow on their own.

Peter didn’t need a math teacher. He needed someone to show him he could trust himself.

So, to all the educators out there: Are you solving problems... or creating independence?

Big difference.
Game-changing results. 💥