I told my students at the beginning of the year that the right answer is not enough. Becoming databases filled with random information on various topics is not developing deep, critical thinkers. Learners need to be able to explain their reasoning, justify their answers, and use their knowledge to apply it to real problems. Students will not gain this ability if they sit all day listening to a teacher disseminate information.
As teachers, we naturally are helpers. When we see a student struggling or making mistakes, we immediately want to jump in and help by giving them the right answer. By doing that, what kind of learning are we fostering? We must guide them towards mastering the ability to think and reason, while instilling in them the confidence to tackle new challenges. It can be challenging and tedious work, especially when you are working with an inclusion class with a large population of English Language Learners. Perseverance is key to success. Then, when it seems that all of the guiding, questioning, and modeling is not making an impact, all of a sudden everything comes together.
I created a class account on Weebly, which provides each student with webspace, and led them through a discussion of how they could use it to prove their learning (I'll share specifics about the portfolio in a later post). The discussion sparked so many ideas from my students; they had so many questions. As they began to work, I expected to have a demand on my attention to give encouragement, redirect attention back to the portfolio, troubleshoot technology issues, and ask guiding questions about the choices they were making to show their first semester learning. However, once they began work, I looked around and not a single student was demanding my attention. They were focused on learning how manipulate Weebly to make it do what they visualized in their heads. When they had a challenge, they turned to one another. One student even "Googled" a tech question to find out how to load something to his Weebly.
The conversations they had with one another were amazing; deep and thoughtful answers were given along with encouragement. They graciously showed one another their work and taught them how to do the same, if they were interested. My learners began to challenge one another to explain how the samples and projects they selected showed how they had met their personal learning goals. Then as the day came to a close, and I told them it was time to sign out and shut down the netbooks, there was an outcry of frustration. They did not want to stop...what were they doing...that's right, creating a form of formative assessment to prove their learning. Who ever hears of students begging to participate in assessment?
As they reluctantly packed up to go catch their buses, I was struck with the reminder that none of this would have happened had I not taken the time to build this framework for their learning and LET GO so they could thrive.
Please take a few minutes and think about your students. Are you giving them the guidance that they need to become motivated, independent learners and thinkers? I know it might be scary to think of letting go and letting them grow. However if you do let go, amazing things will happen.
photo credit: pinelife via photopin cc
I often tell my students not to be “knots on a log.” We discuss the fact that a knot on a log serves no purpose. It never grows. It does nothing. Students should be responsible for their own learning. I am simply a facilitator in their learning. Many of my students have to adjust to this type of learning. I am not discounting their great teachers from previous years. I just tend to have a different teaching style. When someone peeks in the door of my classroom, they will see organized chaos. To them, it is probably disorganization.
ReplyDeleteHowever, within the walls of my classroom, my students are learning. They are choosing topics to research to use in online creations. They are reading and responding. They are writing. They are managing their own behavior as they move through activities. They are free to ask questions and seek the answers. Much of the day, my students are moving about the classroom, spread out in the floor, sitting around computers, or working in small groups. The standard rule “Stay in your seat and raise your hand” just doesn’t work in our classroom.
Why do I choose to let go? Children are expected to make wise choices. However, we often limit their choices in the school setting. Students should be allowed to grow-to become a flowering tree-rather than be a knot on a log.
Cara
Teaching...My Calling
Cara,
DeleteI love the analogy that you make between the two different schools of thought in instructing and learning: The active, deep, meaningful learning in which students can engage, the flowering log, and the passive sponges, the knots on a log. This comparison makes it so easy to picture the work taking place within the classroom. When you let go and give your students the opportunity make decisions and work together collaboratively, it does appear to be chaos to an outsider...until they take the time to walk around and listen to the amazing conversations going on with students about what they are learning and how they are applying that learning. That's when students take ownership of their learning...and isn't that what we want for each of them?
Thank you for the comment.
Julie
Julie, this is wonderful! I see so many teachers focused on the standardized testing in my world and think to myself, "yes, your students' test scores are great, but can they solve a real life problem when they face it?" Honestly the teacher with the highest test scores in my school has a roomful of students who are terrified of making a misstep when they come to the computer lab. They have no discernable problem solving ability.
ReplyDeleteYou have always said that when you give your students some control over the rubric for assessment they demand more of themselves that you would. You have taught your students to be self-motivated, problem solvers, and I'm betting they have no trouble with standardized tests either!
Because of the training and guidance you provide from day one, your students have discovered a passion for learning, they have an audience for their work, and they are free to show the world what they know and can do.
Congratulations!
Thunder,
DeleteI think you make a very valid point. Often, teachers feel the pressure to get students to perform on a standardized test which impacts the type of instruction and learning that they provide for their students. I must admit that several years ago, I was guilty of that myself. Then I realized that there had to be a better way to teaching and leading my students. What ends up happening in this test-centric environment is that we are creating a generation of students who have learned strategies for successfully taking standardized tests, but, as you mentioned, they are fearful of thinking creatively or problem-solving. They do not have the ability to apply any of their knowledge or strategies to situations other than the standardized test. That is a great disservice to our students and our future.
When we let go, students are given the power to drive their learning. They take ownership of it. They set the expectations and they hold one another to them. Yes, often their standards are much higher than my already high expectations because the learning belongs to them. They become thinkers and that life skill applies to a boundless number of situations...even those standardized tests.
Thank you for your comment.
Julie
Julie,
ReplyDeleteI was just reflecting on this very thing myself. You are so very right, we have to let go as teachers and not do the learning for students. It is not our time to discover and explore, it is theirs. But I think many teachers find this prospect very scary, I know I did, so then how do we support more teachers and helping them let go?
My mother is a college professor and we often compare my students tho hers at the college level. She laments that while we focus on test taking skills in K-12 in college they have to know how to be independent learners and problem solvers. Letting go helps our students hone those skills. I hope more people let go as you did!
Pernille,
DeleteI think that teachers find it scary because they feel that they are going to lose control over their classroom. In reality, they are actually making more impact as they empower their students and provide learning experiences that best meet each student's needs. I'm sure you have found, as I have, that the students monitor themselves and hold one another accountable for high quality thinking and communicating. By letting go, I actually have much fewer discipline issues or apathy from my learners. My students are happy and highly motivated. They are always asking for more learning opportunities.
Thanks for the comment.
Julie
Julie:
ReplyDeleteI have always been impressed with your ability to let your students plan their course of learning and rubrics for evaluation purposes.
I was excited to read about how your students got started with eportfoliios. This has become one of my newest passions for students and educators alike. In this "new" era, eportfolios are must for college admittance, scholarships, etc. Additionally, many employers require job applicants to provide an eportfolio so that they can see they type of work/product a perspective employee can offer. As educators, an eportfolio serves as a much needed reflection tool of our professional growth and learning.
I also loved that your students looked to one another for help and guidance as well as using resources (Google) to answer basic "how to" questions. There are so many educators who don't know how or refuse to do the same thing your sweet 5th graders are doing.
I can't wait to see the results of your students' eportfolios!
Here is a link to my eportfolio Pinterest page: http://pinterest.com/ahslibrary/eportfolios/
And here is the link to my professional eportfolio page: http://nikkidrobertson.weebly.com/
Thank you, Nikki.
DeleteI think you reminded us of something very important: everything that we do should be preparing our students for life. If we continue to hold their hands and not let them solve problems for themselves or learn from their mistakes within the safe environment of our classrooms, we are doing them a great disservice. By giving them opportunities that are authentic and that not only supports their learning, but also builds life skills empowers them for the most success inside and outside the classroom walls.
Julie,
ReplyDeleteYou have given your students an invaluable gift of learning. You have truly been able to use the letting go techinique to enrich the lives on so many studetns. This philosophy of letting go is difficult in our test driven soceity. We as educators need to explore this concept and give our students the ablility to grow and become self motivated learners.
Tina
Tina,
DeleteIt absolutely is a scary idea in our test-centric society to let go and give our students the freedom to design and drive their own learning. We all feel that pressure to get our students to perform and get a certain score. However, if we are letting go and putting our students in situations where they have to explain and apply their learning, they will do well on these standardized tests.
Thanks for your comment.
Julie
Julie,
ReplyDeleteOnce again, I am in awe of your skills as an educator and how, in a sea of mandates and testing, you manage to find ways to work meaningful and exciting lessons into your students' lives. Letting your students lead the way and own their work is such an important way for them to hone skills that will take them far in their educational and work pursuits.
My experience was only at the high school level, and as the one who led the way to implementing the project based capstone for seniors in my district, I know what you are doing with your fifth graders will be remembered by them the rest of their lives. When we have teachers who do things 'differently,' it sticks with us. In the early 1960's, when I was in sixth grade, I was lucky to have a teacher who believed in student-driven, project based learning. He was certainly unique to that time, and, sadly, he was let go after that year. To this day, a half century later, I can tell you his name, what projects we did, and how it influenced my educational philosophy. Whenever possible, my own students always had projects to do and own. And when I had the opportunity to bring the capstone, Senior Project, to my school and district, I knew it was going to be a change maker.
Keep up your amazing work. Your students are so lucky to have you guiding them as they explore, learn, and spread their independent learner wings. My hope is that as they move through the rest of middle and high school, they will be allowed to fly.
Kathleen,
DeleteThank you so much for your kind and encouraging words. I am glad that you reminded all of us that project-based learning and student-directed learning have been around for years. If you have ever heard or seen clips of Alan November, he was leading his students through projects that they designed decades ago. He let his students make the decisions and he facilitated their learning.
I think one reason that these concepts are just now getting a strong foothold in education is because of the ways that educators are connected via social media. We live at a time when we are connected and can share and discuss new ideas. We have a support system of other educators worldwide who can help us implement new practices. It's an exciting time for us and our students.
Thanks for your comment.
Julie