Our outdoor learning environment (OLE) has three apple trees. Every time I take my students out there, I look at those trees and think, “Oh, I have got to prune those. They look terrible!” Well, yesterday I made the time to get out there and get it done with help 🙂 The trees look so much better!
More than appearance, though, the pruning feels better. I feel a weight lifted. Not only is my to do list a little shorter, but the trees look manageable, not overgrown, chaotic messes of branches. Pruning also keeps them healthier and will likely lead to a better crop of apples next summer!
Sometimes, I want to prune my work. Last week, this urge manifested in cleaning up all the paperwork that had begun to surround my desk (and beyond) from this semester. As finals approach, I feel excited to prune my workspace, to free up space for new ideas. It is a chore, but once it’s done the weight lifts.
What do you need to prune? What crop do you hope to improve by making space for growth? 🙂
Talking and Teaching Science 