What if you give up control?
It took me a long time as both a teacher and a parent to learn that letting go of control improves learning and intellectual growth in kids.In this brief interview with ASCD, I share my experience with eliminating control in the classroom. What are your experiences in this area?
I think more teachers would be willing to give up control if they knew for sure students were going to learn more. I don't think anyone leads their classroom authoritatively because they think less learning goes on. Seeing kids working, whether they are learning or not, serves as proof for many teachers. Working, sometimes even quietly, serves as evidence of learning. What are the signs of growth that happens in a chaotic classroom that is student-centered/ROLE?
ReplyDeleteI think the evidence of learning comes through two-way narrative feedback. Whether students are working quietly or collaborating, I can see if there is learning.
DeleteI still wonder how much learning is too little or not sufficient. I have students who are learning very little because they are doing very little. It varies from those who are doing a lot, showing a lot of learning, to those who are doing very little and everywhere in between. How do you reach those who aren't getting much done?
DeleteSadly, you can only do so much to inspire learning. I have had students that did far less than others, no matter what I did to encourage them. You need support from home and other teachers and counselors. Keep in mind, it may take years for these kids to realize how important learning is.
DeleteYeah, I hear ya, Mark. We fight the good fight and often don't see the fruits of our labors. What keeps me going is the thought that at least in middle school no failure is final. Even if a student does very little in 6th through 8th grade they still get a chance at high school. We can only hope that they do well and many of them do. Growing a bit helps a lot! :)
DeleteThanks for talking this over with me.