Have you ever observed educators leaving a conference session prematurely? It can be disheartening, yet it’s often understandable. Frequently, these departures stem from a session failing to meet expectations. Let’s be candid: when educators invest their time in professional development, their primary, non-negotiable expectation is to gain practical skills and strategies that can be immediately applied to enhance their teaching and work responsibilities. Without this, any learning experience risks being perceived as unsuccessful.
The key to impactful professional development lies in understanding and addressing the values of the participants. Effective learning experiences for educators, and by extension their students, are those that resonate with what they believe will make them more effective. While students might not physically leave a classroom when instruction fails to engage them, they possess numerous other ways to disengage and mentally “check out.”
Student-centered learning environments actively involve students in the planning, implementation, and assessment phases of their education. This inclusive approach naturally places greater responsibility on learners, which is a positive shift. Educators must transition their leadership styles from a directive approach to a more consultative one – moving away from “Do as I say” and towards “Based on your needs, let’s collaboratively develop and implement a plan of action.”
This article, the first in a series exploring student-centered classrooms, focuses on the pivotal role of the educator. As authority figures, teachers hold the power to decide whether to “share” authority by empowering their learners.
Empowering Students Through Shared Decision Making
Central to student-centered learning is the principle of collaboration. To place students at the heart of their learning journey requires giving them a significant voice in the why, what, and how of their educational experiences.
The why centers on relevance. Learners are more likely to invest effort when they understand the value of the subject matter, vocabulary, and skills being taught. Answers like “It’s part of the curriculum,” “You need it for the test,” or “Because I said so” are intended to be time-saving, but they often result in superficial engagement. Demonstrating relevance from the student’s perspective mirrors how teachers value job-embedded professional development – learning that directly connects to their daily practice.
The what of learning involves allowing students to influence the content’s focus. Harness their interests to drive the content through which skills and concepts are taught. For instance, when learning persuasive writing, some students might be interested in analyzing commercials, product reviews, opinion pieces, or viewpoints on social issues. The most effective strategy is simply to ask students what they want to explore. Begin with a brainstorming session about their interests and engage in a dialogue to align these interests with the required skills and concepts.
The how of learning, specifically how understanding is demonstrated, should cater to diverse learning styles. Offer a variety of assessment options that align with your understanding of your students. A practical approach is to provide three choices. The teacher designs two options based on common student preferences. The third option is an open invitation for students to propose their own product or performance. If a student’s proposal meets the academic requirements, perhaps with some negotiation, it should be approved. Examples of student-driven projects include using Minecraft to design models and prototypes, creating presentations through social media platforms, or writing for a professional publication.
Recognizing Students as Capable Leaders
It’s crucial to provide students with opportunities to lead activities, even if they haven’t fully mastered all the content skills yet. Students are seasoned consumers of education. A third-grade student has already accumulated three years of learning experience, while a high school sophomore has ten years under their belt.
While the complexity of content increases with each grade level, the fundamental school environment remains relatively consistent. Students navigate math, science, English, and history, among other subjects, and interact with education professionals (teachers). Experienced students, much like veteran teachers, possess an intuitive understanding of the learning experiences that work best for them.
Reduce the amount of direct instruction by teachers and increase student-led learning activities. Consider these approaches:
- Peer Teaching: Students explain concepts to each other, reinforcing their own understanding and developing communication skills.
- Student-Led Discussions: Empower students to guide class discussions, fostering critical thinking and active participation.
- Collaborative Projects: Assign group projects where students take on leadership roles, managing tasks and contributing their unique strengths.
- Inquiry-Based Learning: Frame lessons around student-generated questions, encouraging them to investigate and discover knowledge independently.
Valuing Students’ Perspectives as Learners
Just as educators feel valued and engaged when their professional experiences are respected during workshops and courses, students thrive when their perspectives are acknowledged. Their confidence grows when they see how their existing knowledge connects with new concepts being taught.
One to The World 4 Key Elements: Significant Content and Important Competencies; Authentic Challenging Problems in The World; Public Product for The World; and Connected with The World
Children and teenagers also need curriculum presented in a context that is meaningful to them. They need to understand how their existing talents are relevant and how they can confidently apply skills in ways that are meaningful in their lives beyond the classroom. Whenever possible, demonstrate real-world connections within lessons. For a more impactful experience, have students apply their skills in ways that directly support or enhance their current “real world.” This can be implemented in individual lessons or as part of a larger unit. For instance, teachers in Loudoun County, Virginia, under the guidance of Dr. Eric Williams, initiated One to World, a program designed to provide student-centered learning experiences.
Releasing the Need for Absolute Control
Relinquishing some control can be transformative. As my fifth-grade son wisely observed about the distinction between school and home activities: “Why do they (teachers) keep talking about the real world ‘out there’? This is my real world.”
Today’s youth are prolific content creators, generating vast amounts of material on platforms like YouTube, podcasts, Minecraft, and Twitch. Some even monetize their passions. Within these online spheres, they build communities and expand their social networks. However, upon entering the school environment, their existing skills and creative capabilities are often sidelined. Yet, as soon as they leave school, they reclaim these skills and reconnect with their real-world networks.
Students bring a wealth of experience and potential that can significantly enrich and deepen their learning journey. My subsequent articles will further explore empowering learners within a student-centered classroom. The initial, and perhaps most challenging step, is for teachers to commit to reflecting on their teaching practices and consider how they can better support students in taking the lead in their own education.
Embrace the transformative possibilities of student-centered learning.
