Like too many teachers in this country, what happens in my classroom is being affected and decided more and more by people and policies outside.
As a consequence, all the test preparation, test practice and other required programs can cut my students off from pieces of what I think of as the “new pedagogy”– blogging, project and problem based learning – not to mention the “non-tested” curriculum like social studies, science and more. (My school doesn’t allow a scheduled art or PE time, and my mandated schedule calls for 30 minutes per week of science AND/OR social studies.)
So when we were recently able to get back into blogging (beyond just writing an occasional post); re-energize our “Energizing Energy” science project; and refresh the wiki page and Google Docs collaboration we are involved in with a class 2500 miles away (yes, it takes more than 30 minutes per week, shhh), it reminded me why I have become committed to these new ways of teaching and learning.
My students jumped back in like they were re-connecting with an old friend. Even during a recent week, when we devoted half of each day to taking our state mandated tests (tests that my students, myself, our school and district will be evaluated by), we spent the rest of the day posting blogs and honing our commenting skills.
We commented on others’ posts and also responded to the comments left on our own blogs. We were starting, promoting and inciting conversations – the kind you would have in a friendly letter, but also to ask questions, clarify thinking, and argue what you believe to be true. It’s all higher order thinking – all difficult if done well – and appreciated by almost all my students.
It’s also real work, the kind that tends to make my room a purposeful and quiet place where students ask questions about what they don’t understand or can’t do (when too often, during lessons, they won’t). It’s full of teachable moments.
These are times when “assessment on the fly” happens and is sometimes immediately addressed by a lesson.
– Over here, I notice students that don’t get how to use quotation marks — so let’s have a quick lesson on what I’m seeing as I observe groups working. They get what they need right now, when it’s right in front of them, even if it’s not the language arts standard we’re supposed to be covering this week.
– Over there, a few students just don’t get the transforming energy thing, so let’s stop for a minute and review that in light of what they are doing right this minute. This is when it will be meaningful to them, help them, be a timely resource for them.
When things are humming along like that, it is a beautiful thing to watch and a great place to be. It is energizing for all of us. I wish in this current education environment we could be in that place more often.
We need to learn how to get our students there, and fight to keep them there.
It was a great reminder of why I’ve been a teacher for 30 years and plan to be for at least 10 more.
The best learning is messy!
Brian Crosby
Latest posts by Brian Crosby (see all)
- Sharing Real-World Projects Sharpens the Literacy Skills of Connected Students - October 24, 2013
- Going Deep: STEM in the Connected Classroom - March 15, 2013
- My Voice for Change: Muted, But Not Silenced - July 6, 2012
Brian, I’m at the other end of the educational system: universities. I am beginning to see the impact of the “memorize and regurgitate” method of learning that the current focus on testing creates. Over the last two years my students, all top in their class, very capable on paper, are paralyzed when asked to do projects or analyses. I find I am having to teach them how to do an analysis because their schools concentrated on them learning the “curriculum” (content) rather than developing learning and thinking skills.
Since I teach at a state university, a number of my students come from “failing schools.” In fact, I find these students much deeper thinkers than the top students from “good schools.” Their problem, however, is that it has been drummed into them through the press, the educational system and the government that they come from bad schools so they are ill prepared for college. Interestingly, where they are ill prepared are in basics, such as writing and mathematical calculations. However, they are so much more creative and analytical than the good students. They also lack confidence in their own abilities.
I think it is important to your students that you do take these deviations from the “curriculum” and build these skills that will make them successful in college and the workplace as they develop the ability to problem solve, learn (self-direction), and communicate.
I am interested, however, in what takes up so much of their school day if there is no art, PE, and only 1/2 hour of science or social studies? I’d be interested to know what the curriculum looks like in your state. What are they testing students on? It seems very different than ours in New York state.
Hi Virginia – The short answer is to share my daily schedule, which in the past was always designed by the teacher and based on the “required” number of minutes for each subject. My schedule this year was designed by administration – it includes 2 hours a day of Reading, 1.5 hours a day of math 45 minutes a day of writing … throw in that students go home 45 minutes early 1 day a week for planning/meetings, one 30 minute trip to the library per week, two 30 minute music classes, 45 minutes per day for lunch and recess … and on my schedule I get to teach science OR social studies 30 minutes per week. I sneak in a bit more. Also note that what happens during reading block and math is VERY specific and not open to integration. This is not an isolated situation … I hear similar from colleagues all over.
I also teach at a university and see that our student teacher candidates are impacted by this type of schedule Brian states. This emphasis on reading and math is most evident in schools with high numbers of English learners and low socio-economics.
It is unfortunate in that the technologies that can best bring about true learning and engagement are limited to “when there is time” rather than being the pedagogy that drive instruction. Also, the loss of PE, MUsic and Art at many schools have left students feeling less engaged.
I applaud you Brian for your commitment to bringing in what is engaging and of value to students.
Brian,
I couldn’t agree more. In Canada, I am given much more leeway then you describe, so I can’t imagine the struggle you must go through. I am now almost exclusively using student-directed, problem-based, inquiry teaching.
The trouble I’m finding is that my colleagues are starting to question my “planning” and my “lessons”. It is hard to explain to them that students often decide, through their actions or questions, what we may focus on each day. I can not prepare a detailed lesson plan for the day or week. I can’t tell you “where we’ll be” in a week as the students response, desire, inquiry leads it all.
I found myself very connected to your line, “We need to learn how to get our students there, and fight to keep them there.” It is this that now makes up my day. It is the fight to allow students real learning, not the ‘out of the box’ pablum often confused. Keep up the good fight!
Cheers,
Scott
Yes, and I am sure Scott, that you also get people perceiving that because you don’t have a lesson plan that you really aren’t working. In fact, I find I spend much more time on planning (the environment, supports, resources that I can send student to) than I did when I did a lesson plan. Also, I spend a lot more time monitoring to make sure students are really learning what they need to work on the projects, directing and redirecting them to resources to help support their immediate needs, making them comfortable in trying things and reflecting on what happened, etc…
In fact, sometimes I look with envy at colleagues that simply give tests, working from a lesson plan given to them. But then I see the learning taking place and realize I so much prefer to go off the script!
Virginia – between you and Scott I am finding hope. So who else out there do you know having these same experiences? We need to get the word out … so far that has not worked well. Any ideas?
My daughter’s school is part of the New Technology Network. They are trying to encourage project based learning and 21st century learning skills. The good news is that the state received a “race for education” grant using her school and others within the state (New York) as models. This has drawn the attention to other schools to come to see what is being done at her school (hers is a high school but there are many from other levels of education who visit or attend training sessions).
The bad news is that this school, a regional school (not a charter school in New York state) which requires school districts to send students to the school, is having difficulty attracting school districts because of budget cuts. Also, the test scores, while average, are not outstanding. Much of what they have learned is not captured in the test and as such many school districts don’t want to buy into the school or its teaching methods.
The current atmosphere of education is very discouraging with a lot of nickle and diming, lack of communication between administration, teachers, parents, students, and policy makers, and the focus on testing as a means of “proving” learning. I think we need to bring parents and policy makers into the school to really understand what we are asking of our children and teachers.
Thanks Scott – glad to hear you are having success. So how do we spread the word?
Hi Brian, Scott and Virginia,
You are describing education for sustainable development (ESD) – education that gives students the knowledge, skills, values to be responsible citizens!!! Learning for a Sustainable Future (www.lsf-lst.ca), a Canadian NGO has been working on this for 20 years. I’d like to share with you an awesome database that we’ve built that reviews classroom resources for things like inquiry. The resources all have an interdisciplinary focus, and are tied to the (Canadian) curriculum. Its called Resources for Rethinking and can be found at http://www.r4r.ca.
Best
Annette