I have been told that I have an unhealthy addiction to trying new things in my classes. This must be the result of giving a teacher certificate to hyperactive, unstable minds.
Perhaps I change my activities and lessons often (multiple times in a week too much?). I call it adapting and innovating. In any event, unrelated to most of the other content on this blog, I have decided to share some of my recent endeavors and successes.
I set out this semester to find a way to engage students on almost every level of which I could think (based on a lot of great PD, grad work, PLN interactions, and blog reading). Those levels can be summed up thusly: students need to be engaged in creativity, rigor, content, social interaction, personalization, critical thinking, FUN, authentic productivity… I think I am missing some things…
My point is that I want it all (like most). So I have attempted a recipe to accomplish just that.
I want my students writing often in an authentic, personal, meaningful manner that still connects content. They are blogging weekly, the topics ranging from “Who am I” and strengths and weaknesses reflections to summaries of learning and “would you rather”s.
I want my students competing, against one another for those who prefer it, in teams for those who enjoy it, against oneself for those who need it, and against a standard for the sake of objectivity. Thus, I have created a point system in which individuals earn points, groups earn points (both sum of individuals and entire group points), and points are tracked in progress following units and other time periods. A minimum standard is set, and a maximum potential is limited only by time.
I want my students motivated to achieve beyond the inhibiting parameters of grades. The point competition is the environment, and the absolute lack of limitation is the catalyst. Beyond that, however, students’ activities are not mandated. General parameters do exist, but students have a vast array of choices in such realms as styles of learning, levels of engagement, and breadth of information. Students are given enough freedom to feel empowered and enough structure to be objectively assessed.
I want my students creatively engaged in non-directed, non-curricular activities. Perhaps it is seen as a waste of time, but my students are given a parallel story that follows the content, entirely independent of the curriculum, though still connected to the students’ activities. They are a part of the story almost as characters, and their actions give them the potential to engage various levels and tracts of the story while their individual choices do not limit the integrity of the story.
I want my students to celebrate success. Contrary to our decaying culture’s “everyone wins” mentality, everyone does not win, so the standard of success must be clearly demonstrated by the winners, visible to all, including the losers, so as to establish an example after which to aspire. We keep a “Wall of Honor” in our classroom where the photos of groups and individuals who have earned various awards and recognition are posted, where excellence is celebrated. A student need not earn perfect scores to win in my classroom. A student need not beat his/her peers to win in my classroom. We give awards, prizes, incentives, and achievements for all manner of successes well beyond simply earning grades.
Finally, I want my students to embrace the process and take ownership and responsibility. In our class, students choose their course of action. Students decide how much emphasis they would like to place on tests, projects, assignments, etc. They choose which activities to complete, how they complete them, and when they complete them. Students clearly define and articulate a plan of action, demonstrating their preferences and strengths.
I sat down recently and attempted to explain my strategies and processes to a teacher-friend. By the end of the (really long) explanation, he was slack-jawed stunned. Mainly because it was just really confusing. That is my fear: overwhelming confusion and complexity. I may be digging too deeply all at once, but I am convinced that when an idea strikes and an opportunity to implement arises, there is no place for hesitation. Ideas die too quickly to be put on a shelf for future reference.
Curious about knowing more? I wish I could share all my resources here, but our LMS is a somewhat less public affair. I can give you our class’s home page, but beyond that, My Big Campus requires login and such.
To summarize, I plan on making school fun again, but the true test is not in the creativity of ideas and strength of implementation. It is in the students’ responses to the question “how was class?”
Defending Learning 