Student Choice
We want students to learn. It "will be much easier for them to get there if they choose their own paths" (Barnes, 55). I am here to guide or lead adolescents, not control them...
I often think of myself sitting in classes all day. Would I want to sit in plastic chairs for hours each day? Would I want to sit by the same people? Would I want to sit in the same part of the room? I've been to conferences & workshops that last all day. My back starts to ache, I can't see the entire room, the people around me are talking too much, there's a cold draft on me, I get thirsty, etc. I'd like change every now and then. My students do, too.
The easiest choices to see in room 239 are the seating options. I've tried to sit in one of the plastic blue chairs all day long - doing so makes me uncomfortable, and my back begins to hurt. I tend focus on my seat and my discomfort, rather than the lesson at hand. Our seating options will vary throughout the year, as chairs break (yup - you read that right), or students lose the privilege of sitting on them for a bit, but typically one could sit on a rocking chair, a milk crate with a pillow, a rolling chair, the old "teacher chair" students love, a bean bag, the floor, or even on a stable table. Students can bring in their own chair (yoga ball, gaming chair...) if they're okay with sharing it with students in my other classes. They also often have a choice in WHERE they sit. By the (sometimes loud) fan, the door, the back or front, near the computers (usually to help with tech), at the student station (previously a teacher's desk)... These are all options that are okay in room 239. If an arrangement students choose doesn't make the environment conducive to learning, I will adjust seats accordingly.
Other choices each day consist of HOW to work... Should we do this activity in pairs, small groups, or one large group? (We have tables on wheels that can be moved to suit each situation quickly.) How should we demonstrate learning - by writing what we think on paper, white board or blog? ...by coming up with a song? ...by making an oral quiz for the class? Possibilities are endless, and many times students can come up with a better (and more challenging) idea than I could.
Giving students choices... saying "yes" or "why not?" to their ideas... builds trust and engagement in our class. They already hear "no" and "don't" throughout much of their day. As long as they are safe and respectful, they won't lose the privilege of choice. My goal: I want students to learn - how they do that is ultimately up to them. I do know that feeling valued by being given choice is one way I gain their trust that the LESSON is more important than HOW we learn it. Being open to students' ideas lets us all learn from each person's strengths, and helps us build a culture of trust.
Citation from Barnes, Mark (2013). Role Reversal, Alexandria VA: ASCD.
One more blog post to read: Importance of Chaos in Your Kids' Classroom
I often think of myself sitting in classes all day. Would I want to sit in plastic chairs for hours each day? Would I want to sit by the same people? Would I want to sit in the same part of the room? I've been to conferences & workshops that last all day. My back starts to ache, I can't see the entire room, the people around me are talking too much, there's a cold draft on me, I get thirsty, etc. I'd like change every now and then. My students do, too.
The easiest choices to see in room 239 are the seating options. I've tried to sit in one of the plastic blue chairs all day long - doing so makes me uncomfortable, and my back begins to hurt. I tend focus on my seat and my discomfort, rather than the lesson at hand. Our seating options will vary throughout the year, as chairs break (yup - you read that right), or students lose the privilege of sitting on them for a bit, but typically one could sit on a rocking chair, a milk crate with a pillow, a rolling chair, the old "teacher chair" students love, a bean bag, the floor, or even on a stable table. Students can bring in their own chair (yoga ball, gaming chair...) if they're okay with sharing it with students in my other classes. They also often have a choice in WHERE they sit. By the (sometimes loud) fan, the door, the back or front, near the computers (usually to help with tech), at the student station (previously a teacher's desk)... These are all options that are okay in room 239. If an arrangement students choose doesn't make the environment conducive to learning, I will adjust seats accordingly.
Other choices each day consist of HOW to work... Should we do this activity in pairs, small groups, or one large group? (We have tables on wheels that can be moved to suit each situation quickly.) How should we demonstrate learning - by writing what we think on paper, white board or blog? ...by coming up with a song? ...by making an oral quiz for the class? Possibilities are endless, and many times students can come up with a better (and more challenging) idea than I could.
Giving students choices... saying "yes" or "why not?" to their ideas... builds trust and engagement in our class. They already hear "no" and "don't" throughout much of their day. As long as they are safe and respectful, they won't lose the privilege of choice. My goal: I want students to learn - how they do that is ultimately up to them. I do know that feeling valued by being given choice is one way I gain their trust that the LESSON is more important than HOW we learn it. Being open to students' ideas lets us all learn from each person's strengths, and helps us build a culture of trust.
Citation from Barnes, Mark (2013). Role Reversal, Alexandria VA: ASCD.
One more blog post to read: Importance of Chaos in Your Kids' Classroom