Traditional teachers, hammering students with homework, worksheets and tests, are teaching the wrong lessons and hindering students' ability to learn.
Although I have every confidence that students in my Results Only Learning Environment are learning, some are struggling with the progressive nature of the ROLE.
In a survey, given to my students at the end of the first semester, a surprising 22 percent of students reported that they want homework and tests. Of course, this means that 78 percent prefer the way the ROLE functions, without these traditional methods. However, having one-fifth of my students say they'd be fine with old-style teaching is a concern.
The problem, I surmise, is that students are so tuned into the traditional world of points and percentages that they don't know how to handle the freedoms of a workshop-style, project-based class that requires them to evaluate their own progress and set learning goals accordingly.
Furthermore, students are so concerned about acquiring points on homework assignments for other classes that they often disdain our projects, so they can complete the rote-memory activities my colleagues often assign. When I ask why they are doing a science or social studies homework assignment, instead of working on one of our year-long projects, I'm told that "it's due next period, and if I don't get it done, I'll lose points."
This creates a twofold problem. The most obvious one is that students aren't learning for learning's sake, when they are on a quest for points. Also, it puts me in a difficult spot, as I don't like to remove the choice that the ROLE provides.
As I continue to ponder this conundrum, I realize one thing: education's traditionalists are teaching the wrong lessons.
Mark, Remember that in a traditional setting the teacher is doing most of the thinking as they lecture, assign tasks, monitor student behavior, and correct work/grade. In our classrooms we play the role of the facilitators- therefore students are discussing and teaching/learning with peers, creating their own learning plans/path, monitoring their own behavior, and self-assessing. We offer feedback and guidance through this process, but are requiring a ton more effort from them. For students who have learned in a traditional environment for several years take longer to adjust to the higher expectations. For us we are looking at the whole child, not just academics. And some day they will thank us, once they realize how amazing it is to truly be in charge of their own learning and empowered in the learning environment.
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing these results and making us think about this topic through a different lens. ~Celina
I hear ya, boy do I hear ya. In giving choice I also struggle with those times when some kids prefer to socialize or play games or do anything other than our project. Not every project can engage everyone all the time. I still prefer that to any of the traditionalist ways.
ReplyDeleteI also gave an end of semester survey and have one posted for my two new incoming sections. I was also surprised that a number of students (though not even close to a majority) said that they would prefer notebooks to being paperless. As technology-saturated as these students are, I agree that it is a perplexing problem. I also suspect it is related to being a part of the matrix. It may be that it is one of those things that they don't realize the value of until they move on and no longer have those options. I would be interested in any thoughts or solutions anyone has on this topic.
ReplyDeleteThanks for weighing in on this. Hopefully, we'll get additional feedback.
ReplyDeleteI'm with you, Al. I keep telling my students that this is how we do it, no matter what's happening in other classes.
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