The pitfalls and challenges that are faced in Ontario, and in our schools, are not that different from the similar difficulties faced by Norwegian schools. How do we engage disengaged students? How do we foster a growth mindset in our students? How do we also foster that growth mindset in ourselves and colleagues? How do we change the focus of our schools so that they become a rich learning community?
To me…the building of relationships with students in the classroom is key to their success. When a warm, caring and loving learning environment is created, then students will have the courage to take risks. If students and teachers maintain the status quo in terms of their approach to learning, then we will never grow as learners. Who are the best learners? Kindergartners! They have such a plasticity in how they approach the world. They see everything with wonder, excitement and curiosity. How do we lose that in students as they get older? Is that a natural progression in development, or is it something that is “taught” out of them. I think we always have a natural curiosity….and my focus is how do I foster that in my classroom, in the members of my department, and in myself. If we remain naturally curious…then we will always be engaged in extending what we know about ourselves and our vocation.
With that must follow a process of meta cognition…which I do believe is a trait that develops later. For my students, the question becomes, how do I give them the tools and language to be meta cognitive thinkers….to reflect on their own learning….and to take the risks to make changes in themselves. For many, this can be a scary process….and that is where the trusting relationship between teacher and student is so important. As a little child….it is difficult to take a risk when holding on to both of a parent's (teacher’s) hand…..but the natural progression is that eventually the child will let go of one hand….venture further….then eventually let go of both hands…..to go forth. But as the child knows….as should the student….that warm, caring and loving hand is always opened and outstretched…waiting to be grabbed once again.
Comments
I completely agree with everything that you have written. To be honest, it scares me that natural curiosity is being "taught" out of my students, but I think that this is absolutely true. I have always cared very deeply about my students, but in years gone by, I have not always realized the potential negative impact of certain pedagogical approaches. I strongly believe that if my students are never allowed to wonder about Math, then they will never come to see its beauty. After all, how can a series of steps in an algorithm be beautiful, fascinating or even useful after the unit test? From my experience, the "delivery" approach to teaching has yet to catch the interest of any disengaged student! Furthermore, I believe that this approach often re-enforces fixed mindset thinking in my students. So I have no choice but to learn to embed the Mathematics that I want my students to learn in richer tasks. Thank goodness I am part of an awesome team, both at my school and across the world (wow!), that can help me to do this. For this, I am very grateful. And my students will be grateful too. :)
Chris your post really speaks to the "heart and art" of teaching and learning.
Earlier this week I had the privilege of facilitating professional learning with about 150 new teachers in Halton DSB. Using Appreciative Inquiry they shared the most meaningful learning experiences they've had to date in their classrooms and explored the underlying themes behind them.
You'll see their "themes of success" in this Glideshow - https://slate.adobe.com/cp/8zF99/
In appreciation,
Jim