Student Learning: The Power of Limited Choice

A young child lamented, "Why can't I do what the others do? I want to do what they do?"

Challenge. How do I respond?

I thought about it, and used a story from my childhood. I said, "When I was young, my sister was the fastest runner in the school and I was the slowest. I felt bad that I wasn't as fast, but I knew I had other strengths, and running for me would take lots of practice."

He heard me.

(Willingham's book, Why Don't Students Like School, affirms the fact that for some people, some tasks are more difficult and do take more practice. That's a cognitive fact based on multiple factors, but a fact that's important for students young and old to recognize. )

Then I said, "Tomorrow, you have a choice. You can choose to keep working on the assignment you were working on today, or you can start with a version that's a bit more reasonable. In fact, I'll offer that version to others too as you weren't the only one facing a challenge with the assessment. It's like me starting to run a quarter mile rather than starting with 10 miles. Remember, I'm just getting to know you as a learner, and I won't always be right. Let me know tomorrow what you'll choose."  He seemed calmer.

So today, he'll have choice. He can choose to keep working on the more difficult set with teacher coaching or he and his peers can choose the more reasonable set also with teacher coaching. He can also choose where he wants to sit, and how he wants to tackle the packet guided by the following suggestions posed for the whole class:

• Believe in yourself.
• Do what you know first.
• Ask questions when you don't understand. Don't stay stuck!
• Write clearly.
• Do your best.

Limited choice disarms students when they're frustrated or feeling unheard--it gives them some power over their learning in ways that are manageable and honorable.  I'll see what my student chooses today, and I'll support his choice. I'll also add that if he has an idea about a third choice that's better, he should let me know because after all he's the one in charge when it comes to his overall learning, and I'm there to do all I can to help him. 

Classroom Design: What Matters

For every grade and every program, an ideal classroom design will look different.

What matters to one group of children and one program differs from another group of children and another program.

Since elementary school teachers change grades at times, it's difficult to part with objects and books that fit one grade's curriculum, when you move to another grade. Yet, there's often not the space to store multiple grades' materials in one classroom.

So today, I'll purge keeping only the most essential items including some beloved books, craft and building supplies, paper, pens, and pencils, the wooden bookcase, one supply cabinet and some plastic bins. The rest of the materials will be rolled away to be shared with anyone who wants them.

What my group needs most of all this year is space, attention, technology, optimal learning experiences, time to collaborate, wonderful stories, problem solving, and creative pursuits.

What I need most are a few learning/teaching supplies, a few beloved books, my easels, document camera (such an amazing invention), and computer.

As mentioned earlier, it will be great to have the additional space.

Forward : Fifth Grade 2014/15 Chapter Two

The Columbus Day holiday marked the transition from the "first six weeks" to deeper learning. We're moving into the curriculum with strength right now, and it's time for lots of learning.

As a fifth grade math/science teacher, what does that mean.

First, it means dedicating an hour or more a day to a standards-based, blended, student/brain-friendly math program.

Then, it means science learning in multiple ways as we navigate standard by standard.

After that, read aloud and STEAM stars study.

Community is taking shape, and time to create, play, and collaborate will continue to build that community.

Chapter two of the school year has begun.

How Do You Design Learning Together?

The learning design process in schools vary.

In some schools, educators are told what to do, and have very little ownership of the learning design.

In other schools, it's more of a "do what you can" process where many educators are designing learning alone or together in all sorts of ways with little organization or time.

Then there's possibly schools where there's plenty of time for educators work together with and without students to design optimal learning experiences.  Of course, this is the ideal.

Our learning design profits from collaboration--a good idea has the potential to become better when there's a thoughtful process in place, time for meaningful collaboration, assessment, revision, and review.

Learning design is not a static process, instead it's an organic process that responds to the context, students, needs, interests, and passions in a learning environment.

What is your learning design process? What process does your learning/teaching organization embrace?  How does your process positively affect student achievement, engagement, and empowerment?

These are important questions as we move schools forward to teach every child well.

Room Make Over--Again!

The move from a giant fourth grade classroom and all-subjects program to a smaller fifth grader classroom and math/science program has been bigger than I expected.

The major effect has been the need to rethink the classroom set-up--I simply have too many materials, books, tables, and other articles in the room to best accommodate this year's curriculum and the transitions of forty-four students within two classrooms.  The challenge here is that I don't want to get rid of materials that I may need next year if I'm moved again--so what to do?

First, we have to finish the cardboard challenge (four school days to go) as this is taking up lots of room.

Next, I need to spend a Saturday cleaning, sorting, moving things around, and figuring out what to do with all the fourth grade materials. I'd love to paint, pull up the old rug, add a sink, get rid of the old shelves too, but that's more time and money than I have at this time. While I really don't want to give up a Saturday, there's really no other way since this job requires a big effort with lots of time and energy.

After that, we'll be ready to go with better organization of materials, more space, and a nice environment for fifth grade learning.

Just knowing what the need is and making a plan to meet that need sets my mind at ease since I know change is on the way. Onward.