How has the start of the year gone for you?
Have you built in the routines, structures, and systems to allow your students to be independent, self-directed learners?
If I walked into your classroom, I would know within 10 seconds if you had.
How would I know?
Because you would be hard to find.
And your learners would take center stage.
But let’s be real. Developing a classroom full of self-directed learners is INCREDIBLY challenging. And in my 20 years in education, I can count on one hand how many times I seen a 100% student owned, student-centered environment in action.
Once was a Montessori classroom in Hong Kong, and once was a project-based school on the East Coast of the US.
ALL students worked with clear purpose, direction, and flow.
And rather than forcefully dictate punishments/consequences for misbehaviour from the front of the classroom, the teacher had set up SIMPLE routines to support students in directing their own learning.
How about you?
In the third week of school, have you established routines that allow learners to take charge of their learning and develop the habits necessary to remain focused, working as if you weren’t even there?
Here are 5 routines that you can implement tomorrow to create the same kind of flow I witnessed those few times in my educational career:
- Timers: In student-centered environments, learners chunk their time in small intervals, allowing for maximum productivity, concentration and focus. And while the amount of time will vary for learners, figure the amount of minutes they can focus without a break is usually equivalent to their age. Make timings visible in the room and support learners in establishing clear objectives for work they will complete.
- Work Folders/Grids: In student-centered environments, a multitude of tasks happen simultaneously. One student might research, while another tinkers/builds; another perfects a slidedeck, while another conferences with a peer. As the facilitator in the room, our job is to create a system that supports learners in moving seamlessly from task to task. In Montessori Classrooms, they use work folders with a task sheet and a place to write in goals stapled to the front; I prefer a more visible, tactile system called a ‘Grid/Scrum Board.’ This 3 column grid indicates ‘tasks in waiting,’ ‘tasks in progress,’ and ‘finished tasks’, and rows for each student. Create this grid in a highly visible place in the room. Have learners write tasks on a post-it and move them to the respective column. As facilitators, we can help learners prioritize, monitor progress, and offer feedback.
- Journaling: In student-centered environments, learning is purposeful and reflective. One of the best routines to build this habit is through journals. Start class with a short prompt or ‘warm-up’ activity. Rather than dictate it from the front of the classroom, project it on the screen or board, and have learners respond quietly in their journals. After time has elapsed, have them pair/share. This routine helps develop a classroom culture of reflection, autonomy and dialogue.
- Class Roles/Jobs: One of the best ways to empower our learners and provide ownership over our classroom is to share power in decision making. And while the thought of relinquishing full control might scare us, we can start with baby steps. Decide on a few innocuous class jobs. Scribe. Paper Distributor. Resource Curator. Resident ‘Expert.’ Music Maestro (determines class playlist). Buy one of those cheap giant pocket pouches things at the Teacher Store, create a column for each job at the top, and place a student’s name in the empty pocket. Better yet, have them choose roles and then rotate every week. In addition to building students’ self-efficacy and management, you will also save yourself time doing those jobs you really don’t even like. :-)
- Feedback Wall: In teacher-led classrooms, students are constantly waiting on the teacher to look over/grade their work. But in student-centered environments, kind, helpful, specific feedback comes from a number of places. Propel this process by creating a ‘feedback wall.’ Students can place their work on the wall and have peers to offer feedback on how to improve it.
Which of these ideas will you try this week? Got any of your own? I would love to hear them in a super quick email response. :-)
Oh, and before I forget, here are a few resources to support you in your journey to a self-directed, student-centered environment…
The 12 Shifts Scorecard: Identify potential areas for growth.
The 12 Shifts Book: A book chalk full of stories, case studies, and reflective questions to support you in your journey. 30% off for the next 3 weeks!! (Use WT30 code on checkout)
To your success building STUDENT-CENTERED ENVIRONMENTS.
Your [co] learning experience designer,
