Many people say learning is messy. While I do not disagree with that statement, I do disagree with its wording. "Messy" is too simplistic. Rather, I believe learning is complex. Looking at the surface does not always reveal the undercurrents of thoughts.
It is the same reason why "popping into" a classroom can lead to a false conclusion.
In my classroom I foster a dynamic community to f learners who are able to learn from each other through the connections they make to their experiences.
I believe connections to prior knowledge to be essential to learning and take a constructivist approach to the way learning experiences are constructed in my classroom.
Student learning does not flow linearly and will often move beyond the teachers expectations so we must be flexible and prepared to move with the flow of understanding.