So you think a classroom that throws out the traditional methods of homework, bell work, worksheets and even grades sounds intriguing. There are several strategies to building this Results Only Learning Environment. One is to make your class a workshop.
What it looks like
Since converting my classroom into a ROLETM my room has desks scattered all over in pods of four or five. Bookcases line the walls, and student work is taped or stapled in no particular order from one corner to the next. Five computers are nestled snugly against one wall (I’m always trying to get more), and one or two carts are rolled someplace, holding student note books, paperbacks or art supplies we may be using for projects. I started the transition to more of a workshop setting a few years ago.
Rows of desks turned into pods. Although re-arranging desks is fairly simple, it can be quite daunting if you’ve lived in the row world your entire teaching career. At first, be careful to keep any potential behavior problems apart. As the year goes on, this won’t be a problem because you’ve thoroughly fanned your students’ intrinsic motivation and thrown out the worksheets and routines. A desired "good chaos" will begin to evolve in these cooperative groups, as students will discuss activities and projects they are engaged in.
Movement
A workshop setting embraces what can be the traditional teacher’s worst nightmare – movement. In the my-way-or-the-highway days, students were to remain glued to their seats. I would have literally glued them if I could have gotten away with it. A static classroom, in which only the teacher moves, is the epitome of the controlled environment. The theory is that if the students aren’t moving, there will be no problems, right? Of course, we know this isn’t true. Most bored students become unruly and they’ll find a way to disrupt, even if they decide to remain seated. In a ROLE, there’s no reason to fear movement, because students only move with a purpose. Remember, the class is project-based, removing the boring worksheets and homework.
Be a part of it
Don’t forget that the teacher is part of the workshop. Be more than a leader; be a facilitator, a coach, a questioner and a partner. Any workshop will fail if the leader sits back and watches or, worse, roams around and does nothing more than hover over the participants. What I love most about the workshop setting in a results-only classroom is the freedom I have to build rapport with students. I glide around the room, while students are working. I’m much more than an observer, though.
Treat it like a party and mingle
If a student is updating a book plan, I stop to look in and ask about a particular title or to share my feelings on the book, if I’ve read it which in many cases I have. If a book chat is taking place in another group, I’ll sit at an open seat and be an active participant, adding to and pulling from each group member. “Oh, I nearly cried when Rue was dying,” I might add to a talk about Suzanne Collins’ The Hunger Games. “I don’t think I’ve ever read such a powerful scene. How did you react to the way Collins’ handled Rue’s death?”
Make the transition
So, it's the end of another school year. Will you be ready to make your class a workshop next year?
As a teacher of a 5th/6th combined class, I've started using the Daily 5 and CAFE system for language arts, and both my students and I love the autonomy and purposeful nature of the way we approach our learning of reading and writing. It is very similar to ROLE in that students have lots of choice/freedom, are involved in setting their own goals, and do not have related homework or worksheets (we do make good use of graphic organizers).
ReplyDeleteThe biggest need, and my greatest challenge, is helping my students master grade level math skills and concepts. Since most of your examples come from the Language Arts subject area, do you have suggestions or know of resources where ROLE is being used for math instruction? Recently, I have my students using Khan Academy, which has been a big step in the right direction promoting autonomy and mastery. But I'm still plugging along with the approved curriculum (Investigations, and Connected Mathematics), which claim to be inquiry based. By the end of the each unit, only a few students show anything close to mastery. I would love to have a menu of math projects that students could choose from, where each project would require a mastery of skills and content knowledge in order to complete successfully. As a general ed teacher, it will take me quite a long time to develop these math projects... are you aware of something like this that already exists?
Daily 5 and CAFE: www.the2sisters.com/the_daily_5.html
Khan Academy: www.khanacademy.org
~ Caleb
Caleb, it sounds like you're doing everything possible to help your students, using the approved curriculum. I doubt there's any sort of year-long project or menu of math items available for your objectives that are ROLE-type projects. Furthermore, I'd be skeptical of the value of anything you found if, in fact, you did locate such a menu.
ReplyDeleteROLE projects must be created by the teacher, based on the individual teacher's subject, grade and feedback from the students. I would recommend that you look at the learning outcomes for your grade levels. Consider how these apply to real-world projects and activities -- something most curriculum guides or courses of study do not do.
Think of a variety of ways that students can apply the learning outcomes to the projects/activities, in order to demonstrate learning. Not sure if you looked at my Make a Difference project, which provides a menu of choices with specific guidelines for each. You can locate it here: http://www.barnesclass.com/MAD-ideas.
Each project choice integrates writing, reading, speaking and technology objectives. The intense work the students do throughout the school year help me evaluate their learning, while giving them an opportunity to improve along the way, based on my feedback.
Finally, I believe if you put less emphasis on tests and quizzes, you'll see much better results. If students can apply your math concepts to real-world situations and explain how the concepts work, you'll know they understand them. Remember, mastery doesn't always mean 90% on a multiple choice test.
Hope this helps. Good luck.
One class of 50? If I got that right, and if your students are truly engaged in their own learning, then your "got-its" and "need-its" are obviously effective.
ReplyDeleteI wonder, though, do the students get to create any of the targets, or do you stick strictly to state standards?