"For quite a few years, now, the work of Carol Dweck regarding mindset has influenced our view of struggle and failure as impactful in student learning. We've now grown accustomed to the language of the Common Core State Standards, and the adjustment away from content to skills--noting that content still has a significant place in the process.
Now, we find ourselves asking what is the next step? Our next step must be to focus on students, individually, and collectively. Recently for my role as Literacy Coach, I have been privileged to work with The Center for Secondary School Redesign, who "are driven by our desire to be the voice of student-centered engagement and empowerment at the highest levels of policy and practice" (from their Vision Statement). This learning matches well with the values of the Great Schools Partnership, who seek to develop "an equitable, rigorous, and personalized education system that prepares every student for college, careers, and global citizenship. Because I have not fully operated in a student-centered school or classroom, here are a few easy steps to start the process: 1. Believe in the Excellence of Your Students: There is tremendous power when we shift our mindset as teachers to truly believe that students can learn regardless of perceived barriers like language, economics, or home life. Creating and sustaining this mindset will help you to stay focused on what is best for students. 2. Look for Small Ways to Relinquish Control: I don't recommend jumping right into student self-assessment or student-led conferences. But there are small ways to empower students by providing autonomy. Does every student have to write the same essay or produce the same end product? Can students choose from a variety of approved texts? Can you facilitate an inquiry process that leads students down various paths? 3. Allow for Mastery: I had always been an "in control" teacher. Here is the assignment. Here is the due date. Here is the penalty for being late. Here is a Zero.... This past year, I gave that up. I wanted my students to look at their learning as on going. I let students submit their work as many times as they needed to achieve the level of learning they were seeking. My students found success--though, admittedly, we have a long way to go in comparison to school around our State (but I believe we can get there if we continue this process). 4. Accept the Messiness!: Change of this magnitude is not clean, quick, or easy to stick with over time. The daily life of your classroom or school will feel very different. Protocols will shift. You will find there is yet another step to take. The initial struggles might push you to flee back to the safety of your old ways that were successful. In the end, though, your students will be engaged, and they will demonstrate learning in ways that make sense for them and us. At the core of the "Why?" question for me, is the issue of equity. Students, ALL students, deserve a learning environment that focuses on their development. Sometimes that can come collectively, but often it has to be tailored to the individual for it to be true and long-lasting.
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Educational Leader providing challenging and equitable learning experiences for students. Archives
July 2018
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