How do you grow and develop your students? Are you the patient observer; a gentle guide on the side who approaches learning with the same wonderment and curiosity as your learners? Or are you the holder of all knowledge; a forceful sage on the stage who has already charted out the learning journey?
For a long time, I thought to be a good teacher I had to be the ‘sage on the stage.’ I feared that if allowing multiple pathways to success, students would fail to learn the important content I was hired to deliver.
It was only after years of working in a ‘wall to wall’ project based environment that I learned effective teaching was less about delivering content than it was of creating reflective learners. The skilled teacher was one who was able to help students chart their own learning journeys through open- ended questions.
It took me over four years to learn my most valuable lessons as a teacher.
I think you can do it in less than 6 months.
I have created a simple five module/ 20 lesson course that delivers what I believe to be the 20 biggest secrets of effective teaching and learning. The project- based learning course will help you become the gentle ‘guide on the side.’ You will be empowered to increase student engagement, agency, inquiry, and development of 21st century skills.
You can get it here.
In the meantime, I have created a simple visual that demonstrates the qualities of an effective project facilitator. I hope it helps.