If you do not have a QR code reader, I suggest you download one to your ipad or phone. There are many QR codes in the book with some fabulous resources and pics. (Its free)
“A student-led classroom is one in which students make decisions and choices throughout the day without consulting the teacher.”
“A student-led classroom is one in which students make decisions and choices throughout the day without consulting the teacher.”
What is your reaction to this statement?
How does it make you feel?
Reply to two people:
At first I think this statement is a bit scary! I think of some of my kiddos and how stoked they would be if they heard this.
ReplyDeleteHowever, I'm excited to read about HOW this works. I know the school year doesn't begin this way. Some training and teaching the students the skills in order for this to be successful is key for such a thing to run smoothly and not be scary.
Independence is a huge goal I have for myself to get my students to achieve. I want my students to become more independent and responsible for their learning. This has been a struggle! So many of our students rely on that para, rely on the teacher to make sure their "doing it right." I want my students to advocate for themselves and take control of their learning journey. I'm excited for this book.
I agree, this could be scary. I have seen student led classrooms, and it does not look scary, but does make me feel a little overwhelmed to get to that point. I think it would be a great skill for our kiddos and would help LOTS with them being effective self advocates!!
DeleteI agree with wanting independence! So many of our kids become dependent on that para or on us and it makes me worry about their futures. Starting independence little by little is huge!
DeleteMaybe starting early with some of that independence would be helpful, to ease into it. Sometimes students surprise teachers and themselves when they are made to step it up.
DeleteAt first the idea does not sound that great as we as teachers like to be in control of the classroom and the students. But after thinking about it there are several positives in the idea. Making kids think for themselves would be at the top of the list! Many are so use to not having to really think, so the real world is a shock to them. Students need to be able to think and defend their ideas, using thoughts and ideas, not technology.
ReplyDeleteThinking for themselves would be wonderful wouldn't it? By teaching the students how to effectively learn and teach what they learn I can see huge opportunities for growth. This would make for a much smoother transition from school into the working world.
DeleteGiving up that control in the classroom would be difficult, but so rewarding to have students making their own decisions and working together as a team.
DeleteThat is definitely a goal of mine- getting my students to think for themselves!! I feel like the structure is often "watch and learn" or "listen and learn" when more often the learning happens from doing!! DUH- so have them do and learn.. and learn from experiences and trial and error.
DeleteGetting students to think for themselves would be nice BUT we must also hold them accountable for their actions too. If they make a negative choice then they need to be prepared to have negative consequences.
DeleteIn an ideal world, all students would come to school motivated and ready to participate in learning and this would be fantastic. However, many of my students are not self motivated and would choose to do nothing if given the chance. I am worried that letting them be in control without checking in with a teacher would give them the perfect opportunity to do nothing. For my motivated students, they are often incorrect in their work without knowing it. If not required to check in with a teacher, how far would they get before they realize their mistake? Would they ever realize it?
ReplyDeleteAnd what happens if only the motivated students make the choices... Will the unmotivated ones learn from it also? Good points!
DeleteKeep reading:)
DeleteI agree with you Heather. I don't have a strong understanding of what this model of a student-led classroom looks like, but I would be concerned for my non-motivated and my motivated students. I'm glad to see Amber's comment.
DeleteWhen I first read this quote in the book it made me feel excited, then quickly overwhelmed. I would love to have this classroom and put this all into motion. This quote shows that they will need training in order to have this classroom in which they are leading. I am excited to read more of the book and start using some of the strategies to make positive changes in my classroom. This classroom would be student led, but I think the teacher leads it in a way that moves the children into the correct conclusions. I find this statement intimidating in some ways and also think it could open up many new avenues for me and my students.
ReplyDeleteI agree with the training part. I would think that there would have to be alot of modeling and guiding before a classroom becomes a student-led classroom. I wonder if he is coming strickly from a regular ed teachers classroom and not a sped classroom? That seems to be where most of us are getting hung up on.
DeleteI was thinking that same thing.. I thought that in the last book too- about special education comparison.
DeleteI definitely think there can still be discovery learning.. rather than the traditional direct instruction. But, I'm eager to keep reading coming from a special education view.
I thought about his subject matter too in Teach Like a Pirate.. he was high school history. I kept thinking.. how could you do this with phonics instruction for students with learning disabilities haha, or high school algebra..
Take some and leave some I guess :) Energy and passion.. getting the kids up and moving.. hands on stuff I could picture easily. The other stuff makes you think harder and beyond for sure.
I also wondered about his classroom make up. How does he manage ESL or non-English speakers? Are there sped students included in the class? Gifted? What is the role of the support staff with those students?
DeleteCarol-
DeleteI'm completely in that same space about getting hung up in relation to reg. ed. versus SpEd classrooms. It seems like there are so many more variables to take into consideration with some of the kiddos we work with, and at times when Solarz was saying 'Well, I just let them do this,' or 'I just hand this over and let them do that,' and I'm thinking of students in my districts going, 'It sounds great, but HOW could we make that work...???' AnnieB probably has the best idea when she said to just take some and leave some. Try to implement some of the strategies, and just do the best you can with what you have.
I am curious how this looks from day to day. I can understand how at times during the year classrooms are "student led" depending on what is happening within the lesson at that particular time. However it is hard to imagine a student led classroom with the some of the students I work with each day. I am very interested in how all of this works and am excited to read this book! I agree with the others that our students need that sense of responsibility, they need to be more independent and not be spoon fed so much! So many of my students are afraid to try anything on their own! I want them to take chances and try even if they fail. They need to know how to succeed after failure. Hopefully this book will also show teachers how to empower students.
ReplyDeleteI am curious about the day to day look as well. At the high school level how would it be done in 50 minutes? How would the students get help on homework they don't understand and can't find help online?
DeleteWe are on a block schedule - 90 minutes. So, I'm very curious how it would look in that situation.
DeleteGreat point Carol. I am tired of "spoon-feeding" my students, only to hear them say they don't get it, they don't understand why they have to learn this, and then forget it as soon as it is convenient for them. Like you say, this seems to give the students more responsibility and ownership.
DeleteThinking about having a student led classroom gives me lots of feelings to work through. I am excited at trying something new, it sounds fun, however I am a very OCD person and like my ducks in a row. I like having a beginning and ending point with organization in the middle. I truly do feel that these type of classrooms have their place and they aren’t for every person or every subject. I do like knowing that the students are not just turned loose to do as they please that there are mini lessons taught be the teacher so there is some sort of guidance to this setting.
ReplyDeleteI agree! Most of my students would just take over the class and never look back. They would love it, but might not be the best in letting others contribute to the class. Others might start down the wrong path for discussion. Guidelines would be needed.
DeleteIn the book it mentions that his room is one of the noisiest in the school. At times that makes sense, but for some kids who can not manage the distraction or the over stimulation, how is that handled? Even as I am doing these blogs, I had to relocate to our bedroom because my husband watching the TV in the living room was too distracting to me. I wonder how the kids who need a quieter setting handle it?
DeleteI think it would involve a little letting go, and knowing that the students row of ducks might end at the same point, but not look the same as yours.
DeleteI think it would involve a little letting go, and knowing that the students row of ducks might end at the same point, but not look the same as yours.
DeleteWithout consulting me?! YIKES! We all know that sometimes our kids aren't the best decision makers. What if they make a wrong decision and it goes horribly wrong? But, on the other hand, what if they make a great one and learn a lot... This statement had me somewhat worried to continue reading.
ReplyDeleteIt can be hard to let students go on their own, we don't want them to fail but to succeed. However, the best learning comes from failure!!!
DeleteWhat a great point! My daughter was involved in a group project this fall, and wow did she learn a lot, and most of it wasn't content that was taught. So much depended on the decisions they made without the teacher's input.
DeleteSometimes allowing a student to try and fail is a great life lesson. I think that it is an important part of the learning process. It can definitely be hard to let students fail, but it can be totally worth it! :)
DeleteMy first reaction to this statement was “you have got to be kidding,” however the idea grew on me. If this was in place for a short-term time frame at first it could be beneficial to both teachers and students. After all college is that way. Some of my students would probably surprise me with their decision making and make better decisions then I normally give them credit for. But like any situation, long term at the high school level, I could see some of my students not graduating since no one would be there to check in with them and explain concepts they do not understand. Overall, I feel that this would be a good thing to try with students every once in a while at first then work up to having it be long term, as long I could “back off slowly” just in case.
ReplyDeleteAlso interested to see how this would go over with parents....
ReplyDeleteI just was chatting with a Mom, who said that it made her angry when her kids came home and said that they had taught the class. Her reaction was "What are teachers being paid for?"
DeleteWe've heard the same question about student led conferences.
DeleteStacy-
DeleteI hadn't even thought about parents, but now that you bring it up... I can see maybe a couple parents being in favor of their student having more personal responsibility for his/her education, but then again, I can also see several parents taking on more of a stance like what Karen mentioned. I don't know how many times I've had parents say during meetings, "That's the school's job," or "That's what teachers are for."
My first reaction is “Oh, my”. I think a lot would depend on the classroom and the students in it.
ReplyDeleteEvery class has a “personality” and certain student dynamics can greatly influence a class. I honestly think this might work better starting with students in elementary school than with freshman or juniors in high school.
The class personality or dynamic is a big factor, and I would imagine that there are some years that specific students could make it more difficult to have a student-led classroom.
DeleteI like the idea of the student-led learning environment. I love the idea of kids getting involved in what they are learning and passionate about it to take the lead in what they need to do. I would love to be able to facilitate a learning environment like this with students who are actively learning and participating. One idea I struggle with is how to make the learning correlate with standards.
ReplyDeleteI agree that a student led classroom would really get the students involved in what they are learning. I think it is a really neat concept.
DeleteI think having a student led classroom could be really neat. There could be so much authentic learning taking place throughout the day. I definitely think that it would take a lot of training (the author said it takes the 1st 2-3 weeks of school) and a lot of work up front, but the rewards could be amazing. The author stated that a student led classroom takes commitment from both teacher and student. I think if everyone felt safe to explore this concept, it could be so cool. If I was a general education teacher, I think it would be definitely worth a try.
ReplyDeleteI think this could happen. I do not think that it will happen the first few weeks or even first month and a half of school, but I do think it could happen any time after that. I feel that by giving students opportunities to lead or even choices in what they are learning or doing you are creating an atmosphere that is welcoming and positive. By doing this, I feel that the behavior problems caused by resistance will diminish.
ReplyDeleteYou make a very good point about the time line. As a whole class undertaking, it would be very hard to coordinate in the beginning of the year.
DeleteMy first thought, was back to a K-1 classroom that I observed a number of years back. I raised my brow when the teacher invited me to come in saying she'd be in a few minutes later than me that day - I should mention there was a door open to an adjoining classroom, so the students were never actually unsupervised - When I walked in though, the students were organized themselves in circle, with two leading the group efficiently through the first few minutes of morning calendar routine, and the teacher sitting outside of the circle when she arrived. I was thoroughly impressed at how well the students had been prepared and how much responsibility they were capable of taking at that age.
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ReplyDeleteMy first thought is that this is unrealistic for many middle school students. Oftentimes, it seems like cooperative learning is another excuse for students to goof around and focus on everything but working. It is hard for me to imagine turning over more control to students that struggle with semi-independent, student learning. This being said, independent learning is far superior to teacher directed classrooms in which the students care little for the material. Coming in with this perspective, I will keep an open mind as we read this book. At very least, I should glean some valuable insight into more productive ways to present cooperative learning activities and help students to become independent learners.
ReplyDeleteMy first thought while reading this book was how?! I think back to my days as a 4th grade classroom teacher and think how would we have gotten anything done! After I got past those thoughts I realized yes this really could happen and it could be very effective. It would take planning and teaching of expectations but the way it is laid out and explained is amazing and I am ready to this in action.
ReplyDeleteMy first thought was, “Sooooo… We’re going to let the inmates run the asylum…” I mean, I’ve never had my own classroom, so maybe my thinking is totally off from that of a teacher, and, obviously, this concept works in some situations, or else we wouldn’t be reading this book, haha! But overall, that statement just makes me nervous. I can see where being able to successfully implement this would be beneficial to students, but again… I would definitely have some anxiety about the journey of actually getting to that point.
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