Let it Come Naturally

You know the old saying that goes something like, you can't force a round peg into a square hole? Well, it applies to our classrooms in a very serious way.  You want your students to learn, that is a given.  The challenge lies in the manner in which it is accomplished.

Just like not forcing round pegs into square holes, you can't force learning on your students.  If you try, you will only be met with fierce resistance and certain frustration for all parties involved.

Instead, you need to focus on providing the means for learning to take hold.  Focus on the areas of your classroom that you can control, and allow the students to learn as a by-product.

But, how is this done?  Is there a special magic potion that you can spread throughout your classroom that will magically result in learning?

Not really, at least not in potion form.

What you can do is follow three simple steps that will envelop the students in a learning environment, resulting in their desire to learn without being forced into a square hole.

First, begin your year together with your students by building true relationships with each and every student.  Get to know your students, beyond their favorite color, team, etc.  Connect with them on a deeper level to show them that you truly care about them as a person first, student second.  This straightforward approach will resonate with students simply because you are placing a priority on getting to know them.  Show them that you care about them, as people, and everything you do in the future will be framed around your first decision to know who they are instead of what they can do.

Second,  involve your students in creating the type of environment in your classroom that best suits the learning goals and aspirations of your students.  Allow your students to help you brainstorm the ways in which they learn best.  By engaging your students in this conversation, you will demonstrate to them that they have a say in the manner in which their classroom operates.  Utilize this activity as another way to learn about your students.  Pay attention to what they are suggesting, for it will speak volumes for the best ways that they learn.  Try to be as open minded as possible during this experience, and begin to construct ideas around the suggestions that your students offer.

Finally, follow through and incorporate as many of the ideas from step 2 as possible.  When you are planning your lessons, refer frequently to the chart that you made with your students and try to find ways to include their suggestions.  Doing this will show your students that you value them as learners, and demonstrate to them that their ideas have merit.  While you will not be able to incorporate all of their ideas in each lesson, the ones that you do include will provide a learning environment that your students helped create.  They will assume ownership in what is happening in their classroom, and that feeling will carry them through their learning.

I know that I said there were three simple steps to take in order for learning to just happen in your classroom, and that it may seem as though there are other words you could use to describe these steps.  But, trust me, for it has worked in my classroom for years.  Each of these steps, when taken as whole, will create an environment perfectly structured for learning - without forcing a round peg into a square hole!

What do you think?  Have I overlooked an integral part to creating a natural learning environment?  I look forward to your input in the comments section.


image attributed to flickr

Outlining the Move Towards Student-Centered Instruction

This is the fifth in a series of posts about a movement that I am starting in my school.  My school predominantly instructs in a teacher-centered model, and my aim is to shift that to a student-centered instruction model.  This series will serve as a means to flesh out my ideas as I plan for professional development during the 2014-15 school year.

Today's post will share an outline of the monthly topics of my professional development sessions.  In the fall, I will revisit this series to assess how the professional learning is going, identify areas that I need to address, and share any lessons that I have learned. You can read my previous posts in the series here. 

Before you get to the actual plan, let me share some thoughts on how each session needs to be structured in order for the teachers to receive maximum benefit from this experience.  One thing that I am going to place a strong emphasis on is scheduling this PD during the teacher's regular workday.  By having it during the day, I hope to keep teachers from feeling as this is one more thing to do.  When PD happens after school, teachers can be distracted by outside responsibilities involving family, community, etc.  This may also creep in during PD scheduled during the day, but I am hoping it will be reduced.  

Another important attribute for my PD plan will be for each session to be structured as similarly as possible to how their classrooms should look.  It will not be a run of the mill, sit and get PD experience where I do all of the talking.  I do not want their classrooms to look like this, so why would I conduct my PD in this manner?  Also, I would like to make these sessions as relevant as possible for the teachers, so that they can walk out of them with activities, resources, and ideas that they can take back to their classroom and implement the next day.

Here is the plan.  Please feel free to provide any suggestions that you may have to make this as impactful as possible.  This is a work in progress, to be sure, and your feedback will help me greatly.

Professional Learning Plan for 2014

The Reluctance To Take Charge

I participated in last night's #byotchat, and this exchange about the reluctance on the part of some students to take charge really got me thinking.

In the student-centered classroom, students take ownership of their own learning.  While last night's chat centered around the byot mindset, there are many parallels between the two concepts.  The question that JD Ferries-Rowe was responding to related to helping students achieve the byot mindset.  (Dr. Tim Clark explains the byot mindset in this blog post.)  

His answer, and the follow-up conversation that included Heather Theijsmeijer, focused on the importance of not providing the students with the answers.  While the teacher used to be the sole source of information in the classroom; in today's classroom, that is no longer required, or even advisable.  

Heather likened the students response to her not giving them the answers to being told to eat your broccoli.  I have tried to get kids to eat broccoli before, and it is quite a challenge to overcome their protests!  To get that same response when not giving students the answers they are seeking leads me to wonder about the reasons behind the actions.

Teachers like to help their students, it is in our nature and one of the main reasons we are teachers.  But, is this willingness to assist our students resulting in some unintended consequences?  Have students become so accustomed to us helping them that they have lost the ability to take charge and go and find the answers to their own questions?  

I posit that yes, there is a strong connection between these two ideas, almost like a learned helplessness on the part of the students that teachers are reinforcing.

What do you think?  Are there other reasons for this reaction from students?  Are we doing too much handholding? 

Do Your Actions Belie Your Statements?

I have never heard a teacher say that they did not want what was best for students.  More likely is a teacher telling the world that they do everything with the best interests of their students in mind.

It is easy to say that, but much harder to allow your actions to reflect that.

What if I walked in your classroom tomorrow?  Would I see in action, that which you profess in your words?  Is your classroom structured in such a way that it is all about your students?

Do you still instruct circa 1982?  Teacher in the front, desks in rows, and complacency from students the norm?  Worksheets in place of engaging learning activities, individual work instead of collaboration, or serving as the primary source of information for your students instead of any number of information sources?

You can say what you want, and even believe it yourself, but unless your actions support your statements, no one is buying it, least of all, your students!


image from icanread

If It's Worth it, They'll Find a Way

I work in a Title 1 school with over 60% of our students receiving free and reduced lunch.  I tell you this to you a glimpse into the economic status of many of our families.

Our families must make difficult decisions with where they spend their money, like so many of us.  It is not easy for our families to find the money in their monthly budget to spring for a tablet or other device for their kids to bring to school to use in the classroom.  

We are a byot school, and freely encourage our students to bring their technology.  But, when a family is forced to make decisions between a tablet and other basic needs, buying a tablet for their child is not a priority.  Our parents are very supportive of their child's education, so it is up to us to showcase that these devices are beneficial for learning.

So, how do we do it?  How can teachers demonstrate to the parents that it is worth it for them to make the sacrifice to invest in these 'extras' when they have so many other needs?

1. Instruct Using a  Student-Centered Model
   When a classroom is predominantly student-centered, the students are more in charge of their learning.  They are researching, creating, and demonstrating their learning in ways of their choosing.  Having their own device to accomplish these activities can illustrate to the parents how their purchase benefits their child.
   
2. Share the Work with the World
   Instead of having students create for the audience in the room, invite the world to see the great things that the students are doing.  Utilizing tools such as VoiceThread, blogs, and Skype, allows students the opportunity to engage authentic audiences in reviewing and supporting their classwork.
   
3. Pique Your Students' Natural Curiosity
   Curiosity is a quality related to inquisitive thinking such as exploration, investigation, and learning.  When our students are curious about the world they live in, they want to learn more and more about everything around them.  When our classrooms cultivate this curiosity in our students, the desire will still burn at home, providing evidence to our families of the benefits of purchasing these learning tools.

When we provide our students with opportunities to show their parents that this decision is worth it, the parents will find a way.  It is up to us, as educators, to create this environment for our students each and every day.

Oh, We Don't Use Technology in My Classroom

A teacher in my building was excited to share some QR codes, that she had made, with her grade level team.  She did this during a team meeting, and afterwards gave each teacher a few copies for them to use in their classroom.  Her teammates were very excited to try out this new idea, save for one.  When she went to give it to this particular teammate, she was greeted with an upturned hand, and the response "Oh, we don't use technology in my classroom."

After hearing of this exchange, I let it roll around in my head for a few days.  I didn't react, didn't share it with anyone else, just let it kind of sit in my mind.

Then, it hit me.   This teacher was dismissing a new idea out of hand.  While it was directly related to technology in this case, it made me wonder what other new ideas did she dismiss?  If this teacher was so adamant about not using technology that she freely admitted, in front of her team, that 'we don't use technology in my classroom', surely this wasn't the first time she turned down a new idea.

Carrying this out a bit further, it really makes me wonder how she reacts to other new ideas?  What are her students missing out on, without even knowing it?   How can she, as a teacher, be so close-minded to new ideas?  What if a student made a suggestion for trying something in a different way?  Odds are, that student's idea will be dismissed as well.

Is this what we should be teaching our students?  To fear new ideas, without so much as a second thought?  Students often take cues from their teachers, and this is one that I would certainly not wanted copied by her students.

What My Students Need to Hear

This is a blog post that I am writing as part of the 2014 Teacher Leadership Challenge. The 2014 Teacher Leadership Challenge is a weekly installment activity that poses a prompt on an educational topic or issue. Your challenge is to respond to the prompt in 500 words or less via a post you publish to your blog. The aim is to get more teachers thinking globally about their classroom practice and their own connection to the wider education community.

The blogging challenge this week is to read Chase Mielke’s post entitled What Students Really Need to Hear, and then to craft your own blog post with a message about what your message would be to students.

There is a plan, contained inside the four walls of my classroom.  It may seem disjointed, rambling, and utterly hopeless.  But it isn't.  No, there is a methodical plan.

That is what my students need to hear.  They need to be reassured that behind the scenes, maybe WAY behind the scenes, there is a blueprint that lays everything out.  That everything we do in my class is done on purpose.  That I am not just throwing ideas against the wall and seeing if something sticks.  No, that's not how I decide what to do in my class.

You see, my plan is to create lifelong learners.  I can't come out and just tell you that in class, because that really isn't too inspiring.  Instead, I do the old head fake trick.  This way, you'll develop into lifelong learners without even realizing it, because then you won't have the chance to dismiss it as uncool, nerdy, or a waste of your time.

At this point of the year, it is too late.  I have already got you hooked, there’s no escaping. 

You thirst for knowledge constantly, as the result of being able to choose how you learn the content. 

You always take extra care in making sure your presentation is just so, because you decide how to share what you’re learning with us, and the world.

You always are asking more and more questions, because of the curiosity that runs rampant in the room.

You see, there is a plan.  A real good plan, if I must say so myself.  And, it has turned out pretty well. 

Do you see why I couldn't come out and tell you this?  Is it clear to you now why I had to hide it away, undercover? 

I worked on building up your trust, because I knew that if you trusted me that I would be able to push you beyond what you thought you could achieve.  I could enact my plan, carry it out to fruition, once I had your trust.

I understand if this makes you upset.  It won’t hurt my feelings if you want to throw me against the wall to see if I stick.  You see, after you throw me against the wall, you’ll have this need to figure out why I did or did not stick to the wall.  You will design a set of experiments, test out your hypotheses, and come to conclusions… all the while enjoying every step of the process.

You see, there is a plan…

Can You Have a Culture of Learning Without Relationships?

I saw this quote from Charity Stephens (@differNtiated4u) on Twitter recently, and it made me think about the role of relationships in classrooms today. The job of the teacher has evolved,  it used to be that we were managers of the classroom, focused on organizational issues and maintained a distinct boundary between us and our students.

But, times have changed.  Whether you agree with the idea that we are asking more of our students today than teachers did 40 years ago is irrelevant.  What is relevant is the simple fact that behaving today as teachers did 40 years ago is misguided because our students are sitting in classrooms that are structured differently and are asked to interact in innovative ways with their learning environment.

Where teachers used to be managers, we now need to be relationship builders.  I am sure you have heard the quote that goes something like 'they won't care what you know until they know that you care.' This quote is appropriate when you consider the makeup of today's classroom.  In a student-centered classroom, a student assumes new roles and responsibilities that require them to be active participants.   It is imperative to develop a relationship with each and every one of your students that lets them know you care about them as a person.

In my classroom, I began each year crafting meaningful relationships with my students.  While other teachers may have dabbled in getting to know you activities for a day or two before jumping into the content, I spent weeks devoting at least some portion of each day to connecting with my students on a personal level.  The time that I 'wasted' on these activities invariably paid off later in the year when I was able to constructively criticize my students for their effort, work, or attitudes in class.  Their responses to this criticism was vastly different than what other teachers received.  Why?  Because they knew that I cared, that my criticism came from a place of love, and wanted them to be successful. Unbeknownst to them,  I was creating a culture of learning.

In a culture of learning, teachers are learners alongside their students, trying new things, failing, succeeding, reflecting, and growing in a continuous cycle.  When a classroom is built on strong relationships between teachers and students, these cycles are able to occur minus suspicions from either side.  No one questions the intent of criticism, for all are aware of the meaning behind it.

In this era of high stakes testing and increased data aggregation, it is imperative that teachers never lose sight of the benefits of connecting with our students.  For it is within those relationships that we are able to create a culture of learning and encourage our students to reach for new levels of learning!

What do you think about relationships?  How are they connected to creating, and maintaining, a culture of learning?

Where Do You Get All These Great Ideas?

This is the fourth in a series of posts about a movement that I am starting in my school.  My school predominantly instructs in a teacher-centered model, and my aim is to shift that to a student-centered instruction model.  This series will serve as a means to flesh out my ideas as I plan for professional development during the 2014-15 school year.

Today's post will share the resources available to help in planning for professional development.  You can read my previous posts in the series here. A future post will focus on an outline of how I intend to structure my professional development sessions.  In the fall, I will revisit this series to assess how the professional learning is going, identify areas that I need to address, and share any lessons that I have learned.

When researching resources that I could use during this professional development, I tried to identify tools that would meet the varied needs of my teachers.  There is a mix of styles included on this list.  

For example, some teachers prefer to watch videos of a student-centered classroom in action, so I have identified some sources for real-life video examples. Other teachers may prefer talking with teachers that are currently working in a student-centered classroom, so I included a list of Twitter chats for those teachers.  I have also included resources that have tutorials that will walk the teachers through the planning of lessons for a student-centered classroom.  

At this point, you may be wondering why I have done this when I will be leading the teachers as they learn this material.  Simply put, I want teachers to have a source of go-to resources for when they are not learning with me.  This will provide an added advantage of on-demand PD, places where they can go to learn more that fits their schedule.  

One more thing before you get to the list, this list by no means is all of the resources available for teachers.  It is a comprehensive list that I feel provides a great starting point for you to use when planning your own student centered classroom professional development. Please feel free to add more suggestions in the comments, and I will gladly add them to the list!


EdTechTeacher
EdTEchTeacher focuses on inquiry-based learning in a student-centered environment.  They offer many resources for professional development, including conferences, keynote presentations, and a webinar series. Their free, live webinars focus on effective integration of technology in the classroom.

PBLU
Created by the Buck Institute for Education (BIE) (another great resource for project-based learning)  to help provide more deeper learning opportunities for teachers and students. PBLU includes exciting new projects from partner organizations and sponsored classes by BIE, allowing for teachers to learn different facets of PBL on their own terms.

Twitter
There are chats for just about any topic you can think of.  Search for some of these chats-
#PBLchat- Project-Based Learning chat (Tuesdays @ 8:00 pm EST)
#21stEdchat- 21st Century Education chat (Sundays @ 8:00 pm EST)
#TLAP- Teaching Like a Pirate (Mondays @ 8:00 pm CST)
#EdTechchat- Educational Technology Chat (Mondays @ 8:00 pm EST)
#byotchat- Bring Your Own Technology Chat (Thursdays @ 9:00 pm EST)
#edchat- Education Chat (Tuesdays @ 12:00 and 7:00 pm EST)

TeacherTube
The goal of TeacherTube is to provide an online community for sharing instructional videos. It fills a need for a more educationally focused, safe venue for teachers and schools. It is a site to provide anytime, anywhere professional development with teachers teaching teachers. As well, it is a site where teachers can post videos designed for students to view in order to learn a concept or skill. 

Galileo

Galileo Educational Network is dedicated to improving student, teacher and leaders learning through creating and researching 21st century learning environments. Galileo is about teaching for deep understanding. The site supports teachers to design inquiry-based projects in which students use the digital technologies of their time in creative and thoughtful ways.

Learning Styles Inventory

Learning styles inventory revised from sgaglione

Rethinking Our Roles

This is the third in a series of posts about a movement that I am starting in my school.  My school predominantly instructs in a teacher-centered model, and my aim is to shift that to a student-centered instruction model.  This series will serve as a means to flesh out my ideas as I plan for professional development during the 2014-15 school year.

Today's post will examine the characteristics associated with a student-centered classroom. The first post focused on the reasons behind the movement.  The second post identified key characteristics of student-centered classrooms.  Future posts will focus on the resources available to help in planning for professional development and an outline of how I intend to structure my professional development sessions.  In the fall, I will revisit this series to assess how the professional learning is going, identify areas that I need to address, and share any lessons that I have learned.

Redefining Roles

Making the shift to a student-centered classroom requires redefining the roles of the teacher and the students.  As a result of the substantial change in the classroom structure and functionality, the roles that many are used to, and often comfortable with, playing will not be sufficient in the new model. Below, I have identified some of the roles that both teachers and students will need to assume as part of the shift to a student-centered environment.  Some of these new roles will be easy to adapt to, others less so.  While redefining their roles is crucial to successfully making this change, some of these roles will take longer to master than others.  All participants need to remain cognizant of this fact, and keep themselves from becoming easily dismayed as they make this monumental shift in their learning environment.

Teacher Roles

1. Learning Alongside StudentsThe teacher no longer is the expert in the room, but one that is learning along with the students.  It is okay, even desirable, for teachers to utter the words 'I don't know' when presented with a question that stumps them!
2. Establishing Positive Classroom CommunityThe student-centered classroom may get messy at times.  There may be some  disagreements between learners as they collaborate and grow together. There is nothing wrong with this, as long as the teacher has established a 'we' mentality in the classroom. If students can view their class as a community of supporters, they will be able to bounce back quicker from disruptions.
3. Identifying How Their Students LearnA crucial component to the success in any student-centered classroom is for the teacher to identify how their students enjoy learning and learn best, then applying that information when structuring lessons.  The student-centered classroom is along a continuum that is headed towards personalized learning.  This is just step one!
4. Varying Methods of InstructionWhile direct instruction may be dominant form of instruction in a teacher-centered classroom, variety is the spice of life inside a student-centered classroom.  Teachers need to use different methods of instruction- project based learning, cooperative learning, inquiry based learning- and make those decisions based on the content being studied and preferences of the students.
5. Providing Constructive, not Punitive, FeedbackStudents in a student-centered classroom are provided plentiful practice opportunities, again depending on their individual needs.  As part of this practice routine, the feedback that they receive during the process needs to be focused on growth, not grading where they are at that moment.  By utilizing constructive feedback that the students can build off, teachers allow the students to move towards mastery.
6. ReflectingThis is not going to be an easy shift to make.  There are going to be lots of challenges, mistakes, and frustrations.  But, those events should be viewed as learning opportunities, and if the teacher is reflective along the way, then they can use that information for future learning!  This will also allow the teachers to model reflection for the students.

Student Roles

1. Asking QuestionsCuriosity is at the root of of student-centered classrooms, and a natural by-product of that is asking questions.  Along with curiosity, the focus on personalized learning demands students to ask their own questions as they interact with the content. Since they are in charge of their learning, students should be asking good questions to guide learning process.
2. Active Participation
   I think this one is pretty straight forward.  PBL, inquiry-based learning, and cooperative learning will all require more activity from the students than sit and get does! 
3. Accepting Feedback as Vehicle for Growth
   This role may be a bit more challenging for students to become accustomed to.  In many classrooms, the majority of feedback that students receive is in the form of a grade.  This will be vastly different in a student-centered classroom as the teacher will be asked to provide consistent, constructive feedback for learning.  The students may continue looking for their grade at first, but they'll get used to, and begin to appreciate, the change.
4. Open Minded About Learning
   Many of our students are 'conditioned' in their learning while in school.  They will need to develop an open-mind about learning in new, active ways.  Something is telling me that this should not be hard for them to do!
5. Accepting New Responsibilities and Roles
   The student-centered classroom will typically enable students to actively participate in their learning in ways that they prefer.  They will also, however, be asked to assume more responsibility for learning the content and, in turn, redistributing the information to their fellow classmates.
6. Reflecting
   This will be a similar experience for the students and the teachers.  Some of the students will adapt to a student-centered learning environment quickly and effortlessly.  For others, it may be a bit difficult.  Regardless, part of any learning process must include quality time spent reflecting on what happened, and examining the process for lessons learned and experience gained.  For the students that are able to consistently self-reflect, they will have learned a lifelong skill that they can use to continue to grow well into adulthood!

image attributed to icanread

The DNA of a Student-Centered Classroom

This is the second in a series of posts about a movement that I am starting in my school.  My school predominantly instructs in a teacher-centered model, and my aim is to shift that to a student-centered instruction model.  This series will serve as a means to flesh out my ideas as I plan for professional development during the 2014-15 school year.

Today's post will examine the characteristics associated with a student-centered classroom. The first post focused on the reasons behind the movement.  Future posts will focus on the roles of teachers and students in student-centered classrooms, resources available to help in planning for professional development, and an outline of how I intend to structure my professional development sessions.  In the fall, I will revisit this series to assess how the professional learning is going, identify areas that I need to address, and share any lessons that I have learned.

In conducting my research on student-centered classrooms, certain characteristics continually showed up.  I have listed the ideas that I found most often below, see if you notice any patterns.

1. Relationships Matter
   The building of a strong relationship between a teacher and student to take greater risks, ask questions, and make mistakes.  This is essential in a student-centered classroom as the students will be called upon to take a more active role in their learning.
   
2. Students Ask the Questions (More of the questions)
   At the root of a student-centered classroom is curiosity.  Students that ask good questions and are curious about the material are able to interact with the subject matter at a deeper level.  If students are not interested enough to ask questions, odds are that they are not making connections with the material.  Teachers play a pivotal role in crafting good questions through modeling and guiding the students in learning this valuable skill.
   
3. Instructional Methods are Varied
   Cooperative learning, inquiry-based learning, project based learning, peer-to-peer learning, occasional direct instruction, are just some of the instructional methods that are used in a student-centered classroom.  With the vast amount of content, one single instructional method is not sufficient to achieve the learning goals of the students.  Students can even engage in selecting
   
4. Learning is Personalized
   Teachers take the time to learn about the best ways that their students learn in a student-centered classroom.  While this is hopefully done in all classes, it is imperative in a student-centered classroom because it allows teachers to tailor their instruction in ways that their students learn best.  The future of education will largely be focused on personalized learning, and it currently is a key component of student-centered learning environments.
   
5. Assessment is Varied
   Assessments in a student centered classroom come in all shapes and sizes.  Formal, informal, projects, demonstrations, and observations are just a few of the types of assessments that are utilized in a student-centered classroom.  Again, allowing the students to provide input on the type of assessment used, or to even create the assessment, is a possible option.
   
6. Ideas Come from a Variety of Places
   Ideas for lessons, projects, etc. come from a variety of places.  This prevents the classroom from becoming stale and predictable for the students.  The variety of sources- colleagues, mentors, Twitter/PLN, students, to name a few, increase the likelihood that the work that is done in the classroom will appeal to the students.
   
7. Ample Opportunities for Practice
   Given a multitude of opportunities to work with a specific topic or skill gives the students more opportunities to learn, make mistakes, and demonstrate their mastery of the content.  The key here is for the feedback to not be punitive in nature, practice needs to be provided for learning purposes.
   
8. Student Choice
   This is a large component of a student-centered classroom.  Instead of dictating what the end product will look like for any given task, teachers allow the students to utilize their own creativity to decide how best to demonstrate their learning of a specific topic or skill.  This goes along with the personalization of the students' learning.
   
9. Feedback is Prevalent
   The teacher in a student-centered classroom spends less of class time lecturing or giving direct instruction.  This frees up more time for the teacher to be interacting with their students while they work, and increases the amount of formative feedback - not grades- that the students can use to grow.
   
10. Students Set Learning Goals
    In a student-centered classroom, students set their own learning goals.  This act further personalizes the learning for the students because they are working towards goals that they have identified as important for them.  This activity is something that the teacher will need to demonstrate and guide the students in for the early part of the year, as the year progresses the students will become better equipped at setting their own learning goals.

image attribution flickr user Michael Knowles

The Beginning of a Shift

This is the second in a series of posts about a movement that I am starting in my school.  My school predominantly instructs in a teacher-centered model, and my aim is to shift that to a student-centered instruction model.  This series will serve as a means to flesh out my ideas as I plan for professional development during the 2014-15 school year.

Today's post will focus on why I feel it is important to make this transition in our classrooms.  Future posts will include an examination of characteristics associated with a student-centered classroom, resources available to help in planning for professional development, and finally, an outline of how I intend to structure my professional development sessions.  In the fall, I will revisit this series to assess how the professional learning is going, identify areas that I need to address, and share any lessons that I have learned.

Why I Feel This Change is Needed

The students of today are changing, and we need to change our methods of instruction to meet them where they are. Students in schools today are accustomed to being in control of their learning while away from school.  With the ubiquitous nature of information today, students can learn what they want, how they want, when they want.  It is imperative that educators make a shift in how we structure our classrooms to give the students what they are seeking.

The prevalence of digital devices in our classrooms has offered teachers an opportunity to harness the powers of these devices to take our students to new heights.  Unfortunately, what I have found during my observations in my school is that the addition of technology has not changed the manner in which the students are learning.  This is not a surprise to me, as one should not expect that just because you add an iPad to a classroom, that all of a sudden the teacher will make this fundamental shift in their instructional practices.

It is the confluence of these two developments- an altering of our students' needs and desires as they relate to learning, and teachers unsure of how best to integrate digital devices to effectively meet the needs of our changing students- that has led me to believe that my goal for professional development needs to focus on developing a student-centered environment in classrooms.  By leading teachers in learning the different options available to personalize a student's learning environment effectively, and following up with classroom observations throughout the year, I strongly believe that my teachers will be able to make the shift in the direction of a student-centered classroom.  

Do you feel it is imperative that teachers move towards a student-centered model in their classrooms? Why or why not?

What If No One Follows Me?

Have you seen this video?  It is one of my favorites about starting and sustaining a movement!




I am starting a movement at my school, encouraging teachers to make a shift to a more student-centered classroom.  I need followers, as is important as any movement begins in order to pick up speed or else it will die a fiery death.

Having utilized a student-centric model in my classroom, I am inherently aware of the benefits to using this model in the classroom. Benefits include increased student motivation, engagement, and self-confidence by achieving success when assuming new responsibilities.  But, teachers have been lukewarm to my proclamations about these benefits.  Teachers have difficulty abdicating the throne, so to speak, and making the shift to being a facilitator in a student-centered classroom.

Many teachers were trained in educator prep programs that featured the teacher as the expert in the room.  It was a different era in schools, and times have changed with the constant connection to information that our students possess today.  Teachers are no longer required to be the expert in the room, and students are yearning for the opportunity to craft their own learning experiences utilizing tools of their choosing, and demonstrate their learning in ways that appeal to them.

In my next post I will focus on the steps that I am taking with my teachers to help make the transition from a teacher-centered classroom to a student-centered model.  In the meantime, let me know of any suggestions that you may have for making this transition as seamless as possible for teachers.

The Role of Grit in the Classroom

I recently viewed Angela Duckworth's TED Talk on Grit and it started me thinking about the role of grit in today's classroom.  So many skills are being bandied about that are considered essential for students in the 21st Century... critical thinking, collaboration, communication, creativity, problem solving, but I haven't heard a lot about grit.  Then, I came across a blog post from Jennifer Brown that referenced an article written by Alfie Kohn, the "Downside of Grit".  So, after reading the blog post, I had to go and read the article.  Then, I had to go back and watch Angela's talk again.  After watching it again, and reading the article again, I was determined to figure out if grit is really something that our kids need to develop.  Is it a fixed entity, either you have it or you don't?  Or, is it something you can employ from time to time when appropriate?  Alfie Kohn seems to say that it isn't the end all be all for our kids, but Angela Duckworth seems to point to it as an essential skill for success in education.
  
I am writing this blog post as a way to flesh out my own ideas on grit, and hope it will serve as a mechanism for me to learn more about it as the conversation evolves.  Angela Duckworth defines grit as  "the tendency to sustain perseverance and passion for challenging long-term goals".  This definition contains two distinct parts.  The first part, the tendency to sustain perseverance and passion, seems to focus on the actions of the person involved.  The rest of the definition, for challenging long-term goals, refers more to choice in what the person is showing grit in doing. 

If that is true, then I would argue with Alfie Kohn's assertion that the mere presence of grit is not an important development for our students.  If grit means not only persevering, but also being able to identify challenging long-term goals, then grit definitely has a place in today's schools.

As a classroom teacher for more than ten years, I definitely can agree with Angela's idea that the best performers in the class aren't always the ones with the most intelligence as measured using IQ.  I have seen firsthand the payoff some students can receive from displaying grit, or a hard work, never give up attitude.  Conversely, I have seen students that stuck with a problem too long, to the point that it became an exercise in futility for them.  However, if we can teach our kids how to persevere in the right situations, then grit becomes a much more piece of a student's overall development.

My take on it is that instead of focusing solely on the development of one's grit, we need to provide our students with challenging learning opportunities in the classroom that will lead to overall growth.  Alfie Kohn raises many valid points about grit, or persistence, and if it is really what we should be focusing on in education.  Besides the fact that it is not a novel idea, Kohn states the development of grit relates to maintaining a singular focus on a task that was prescribed by someone else. Kohn writes, " In other words, those who do what they've been told,  regardless of whether it's satisfying or sensible, are rewarded by those who told them to do it."  

But, to me, it comes back to the instruction that is occurring in the classroom, and whether students are given the choice to display their mastery of new information in a manner that fits with the child's long-term goals.

What do you think about the role of grit in our classrooms today?  Is it an essential skill for our students to develop, or is it a misguided ideal that serves no purpose in our classrooms?   As I stated previously, I am only beginning to hash out my ideas on this subject and would greatly appreciate your thoughts as I continue to make sense of the role of grit in our schools.

Moving towards a Student-Centered Classroom

In trying to change a prevailing teacher-centric classroom to a more student-centric model, what are the steps that are required?  How best to help the teacher make this change?  If the teacher is willing, and able, to make the change then the first step is taken care of.  But, what if the teacher doesn't want to make the change, or can't see why a change is necessary?  How do you begin the process with that teacher without completely alienating them from the whole process?

                                                       image from Bill Ferriter

I suggest you focus on the students.  Paint a picture for the teacher of the world the students in the class are living in. Information at their fingertips, multi-modal resources to choose from, learning in ways that appeal to them, demonstrating their new learning in a method of their choosing.  Introduce the requisite skills that these students will need to possess in order to be successful in the real world.  To name but a few... critical thinking, problem solving, collaboration, creativity, resiliency.  There are plenty more to be sure, but whatever is on your list, continue to engage with the teacher about the possibilities of acquiring those skills in a teacher-centric classroom.  Refrain from making this teacher specific, even though they may try to personalize the focus.  Instead, keep the focus on the students.

In a teacher-centric classroom, the information is typically delivered in a stand and deliver method, with the students receiving the information, and demonstrating their learning in a standard form of assessment chosen by someone else.  Under those conditions, is it even realistic to believe that the students will gain experience in any of the aforementioned skills? Most likely not.  

This is when you can begin to share the benefits of a student-centric classroom.  Share with the teacher the ways in a which a student in that type of classroom environment can develop those important skills.  Here is a brief list of suggestions:

• Point out that when students participate in the creation of new knowledge by actively learning the information instead of being spoon-fed what the teacher chooses to share, that students are required to develop critical thinking abilities.  It falls to the students to decipher new information and make a decision as to whether this is relevant and pertinent to what they are learning.  Explain how the students will develop resiliency by not stopping at the first source of information, but rather, having to continue on until they have located what they are looking for.
• Incorporating a real world problem into the mix and allowing the students the opportunity to research the background information required to understand the nature of the problem strengthens their critical thinking and resiliency abilities.  
• Allowing the students to collaborate with others, both inside and outside of the classroom, will improve their communication skills along with their ability to collaborate.
• Allowing the students the freedom to share their findings in a way that they feel best fits the situation will allow for their natural creativity to shine through.  As Dave Burgess puts it in Teach Like A Pirate, creativity is something that we can hone by practice- this is one way to provide opportunities for students to put in the practice.  Sure, there will be times that it doesn’t turn out how you had hoped, but this is about the students.  Besides, learning from mistakes is a sound practice.  It is recommended by many, as failure is something that helps us grow and improve.  Why wouldn’t that be okay in a classroom?  As a teacher, I know I have made countless errors in my classroom, all that has happened is that I have learned to be reflective and improve for the next time.  

These are but a few ideas that I have used this year working with teachers at my school that are making the switch to a more student-centric classroom.  What are some other ways to help teachers with this paradigm shift?  How else can we encourage teachers to make this important change for our students?  I look forward to hearing some more great ideas!

Check out Blendspace!

I recently was introduced to Blendspace by a colleague, and I have fallen in love with this resource.  There are so many different ways to utilize this website in your classroom.  

1.  Curate resources for students on a specific topic.  You can compile resources from just about anywhere on the web into a Blendspace.  You can embed Youtube and TeacherTube videos, Google Docs, Educreations tutorials, links to websites, text documents, presentations, just to name a few.  Students can then decide which of the resources to learn from depending on their personal preferences.  You can also embed your Blendspace on your website, or learning management system!

2.  Create an account, and then create a class.  As long as you create the accounts for your students, the Terms of Use allow for students under the age of 13 to access this tool as long as you have parental consent first.  Students can then create their own lessons, and demonstrate their own learning of a given topic.  If you have a Youtube channel, your students can even include their own videos uploaded to the youtube channel.  (They can also directly upload their own videos to the website.)

3.  After creating your class, you can create a quiz for your students to take after viewing the information contained in the Blendspace.  This is a good way for your students to work at their own pace, and for you to get an idea of how well they are learning the information.

Below is an example of a Blendspace that I created for my teachers during professional development.  You can view it as is, or click on the Open in Blendspace link in the upper right corner.



What are some other ideas for using this in the classroom?  Please share in the comments section.

Happy Learning!

Letting Go

In my role as an Instructional Technology Specialist, I am frequently stopped by teachers and asked how to integrate technology better in the classroom.  My first response to these teachers often stuns them.  Instead of getting all technical and rattling off apps and websites, I inquire about how  they  structure their class.  Do the teachers believe that they are the holders of all information?  That they are where the focus should be in the class?  Or, are the teachers the facilitators of learning by the students?  Are the students allowed the opportunity to discover the learning by doing instead of receiving?

The concept of Letting Go is difficult for many educators because we were trained to be the experts in our classroom, told to be in control of what is happening in our classroom at all times.  After all, if we are to be evaluated by our administrators, shouldn't we make sure that we script each and every minute to ensure our observations run smoothly?  I say this in jest, because I feel there is another way.  It is not an easy way, nor is it neat and tidy.  But it is possible, and achievable by simply shifting your mindset.  When we began our careers, it was because of the children, right?  If that is true, then allow the kids to be your focus, or more specifically, allow what is best for kids to be your focus.

Let's face it, we all know that the world our students are growing up in is vastly different from the one that we knew as children.  These students have the world at their fingertips, literally!  Instead of acting as the gatekeeper of knowledge, empower your students by giving them the freedom to find the information on their own.  Instead of utilizing stand and deliver instruction, allow your students to construct their own knowledge.

As I mentioned earlier, this is not an easy shift to make, nor should it be done all at once.  Instead, focus on one area of instruction.  Beginning with one unit, incorporate the use of guiding questions for your students.  Rather than giving them the information that you want them to learn, utilize specific questions that will guide them to the learning on their own.  Then, after they have learned the information, allow them to become the teacher and present their findings to others.

The presentation piece will provide another opportunity for you to let go.  Instead of deciding how the students share their information, introduce a rubric to the students that details what they need to demonstrate.  Focus on the content of the product, not the product itself.  By using guiding questions and allowing the students the freedom to choose how to best share their content, you are taking the first steps in letting go.

Have you seen this in action in your school?  What are some other ways that teachers can begin to let go?