Disclaimer
I am a middle school teacher. I have always taught junior high. But I have student-taught in elementary classrooms and have observed many grade levels. This post is about my recent encounters, peppered with what I know from previous experiences with students. Every level requires slightly different tactics and strategies, but every grade, every subject area when given the time to build opportunities for self-reliance, self-advocacy and self-confidence, will help create a well-balanced learner who moving forward, will possess the skills to be successful.
Commonality
The core is the same, curiosity, eagerness, a bit of distraction. One may be smaller in stature, however, when you take the time to talk to them, ask questions and listen to their stories- you find that elementary students are very similar, to their taller counterparts. The biggest difference I find, is the affection. Younger students, even after only a few days of teaching them, hug you. Some middle schooler's hug, but only at the end of the year, generally. I taught Elementary STEAM Summer Camp last week and the attachment and endearment from many of the students was outward and steadfast. I loved it. I am used to camaraderie and community, with a bubble of standoffishness.
At the end of the school year, with my students, there were smiles and "we will miss yous", but mostly waves. 7th graders tend to be more stoic and non-emotional. But after summer camp, there were a lot of hugs and tearful good byes, after only a week. It was adorable and the kids were so outgoing and collaborative- a beautiful thing to see. Now, there were some disagreements and a few arguments between them, but overall, they got along great- these 112 students were from fourteen different elementary schools throughout our district and they came together and learned science through cooperation and collaboration. Cooperative endeavors and collaborative action. Some harked from affluent neighborhoods, others from low SES communities, but it didn't matter- at the STEAM camp they were from the same locality, the same region called 4th and 5th grade.
Just like students from different grade levels and different schools, teachers of primary, elementary, middle and high school differ in many ways, yet we all have certain things in common. We are all looking for strategies that work. We do not get on social media to troll or attack one-another, at least the majority of us don't. We join chats and share our ideas through Twitter, not because we can, but because we have the strong, deep seeded urge, to learn and grow from alternate perspectives. What makes education great is educators who look outward, who are willing to take-risks and share their experiences. We are a giant collective, a global phenom, not because we share, but because we listen.
Uniqueness
I observe students a lot. I appreciate the time I have in a student-driven classroom to not speak. I enjoy listening and guiding with simplicity. Of course younger students need more instructions and more specificity, when it comes to how to do things, however, they also deserve the same student-centered design. They deserve choice of product, the ability to tinker and design independently and work cooperatively with their peers. When we provide these opportunities they step up in a beautiful way. Many need the guidance older students don't but when this supervision also allows for independence, all students thrive- because they get to imagine their learning as their own and this gives them the reigns, this lets them climb on and see the view from the saddle, rather then the stirrups.
The way elementary students collaborate is much different than the way middle grade students do. Younger students all jump in equally, they want to handle and manipulate everything, have a say in every aspect because to them it is not seen as learning- it is internalized as a game, a playing field that needs to be conquered. There is no grade attached for them, there is no evaluation, only self-satisfaction of accomplishment. I watched these amazing 4th and 5th graders at camp struggle and get defeated, while a few shut down, most talked about it, figured it out together. A skill universal yes, but often in elementary students it is about "me" not "us." They built bottle rockets, marble mazes, programmed Sphero's and Ozobots, and they got artsy with masks and slime. But, overall, they tinkered, designed and created some awesome things because they did not see the tasks as work, but as fun. Me became us and tasks became play, with a little bit of work added in.
Now, in my 7th grade classroom, there is a lot of communal activities and collaborative lessons- but the underlying focus for most students is the grade. How accurate do I need to be, how much detail needs to be added to the reflection, how am I going to get full-credit? It is very difficult to get my students to see beyond the grade sometimes. When they ask me, "what type of grade is this other or minor?"- I just say "yes." But, once they get the materials, they begin to tinker, design and build: models, diorama's, 3D giant cells- they get engrossed in the process and the grade fades in importance. I have spoken to teachers of 4th and 5th graders and they have told me that, they do ask about grades, but not as much because what the grade will be, or how to get the A, is not what they feel is important. They are focused more on if they are doing it right, because they want approval above a good grade. This I noticed at the STEAM camp, they were not looking for personal satisfaction, but more for outside approval.
This I witness every summer when I get the opportunity to work with 4th and 5th graders. There is no grade per se in camp, but there are points and these points add up and at the end of the week the winning team gets medals. There is an underlining competitiveness- but it is quickly shadowed with "What do you think? Does this look cool? Look what I made?" While, my 7th graders during STEAM activities are saying "Did I meet all the requirements? Does this look like an A project?" The biggest difference I saw when it comes to approval, is 7th graders are looking for self-satisfaction and recognition while 4th and 5th graders are looking for approval- for acceptance. What a difference a few years makes. What happens to change the focus from fun to learning?
Bridging the Differences to Create More Uniqueness
So why does this matter? The younger grades of course have different gradients of the 4th and 5th grade mentality, while high-school students are centered more on grades and GPA. So how can we bridge the gap? How can we make learning more about self-satisfaction and less about requirements and ranking? In the higher grade levels, it is never not going to be about grades- it can't be, because these grades get you into a good college. Your GPA is a mark of passage, a calling card for admission boards. But, how much knowledge are these students actually retaining? How much rote memory is replacing problem-solving, independent thinking and self-advocacy? Sometimes, facts and data need to be given quickly, but what they do after they memorize is what's important- how they apply their new evidence, details and knowledge is what makes 'big picture' thinking emerge.
Design and Implementation
I find that between all students I have observed and been able to teach there are a few strategies that work across all grade levels. These strategies not only promote 21st century skills, independence and cooperation, but they also merge the need for approval with the desire to grow and learn. The simple may seem like a cop out to some- but not all lessons need to be elaborate, not all class periods need to be exciting. Productive and purposeful, yes. Engaging and relevant, yes. So how can we keep our day to day activities meaningful, beneficial and gratifying, but still, student-driven and student-centered? We as educators need to plan- be flexible and above all else, be willing to loosen the reigns and let them roam free. We need to step back and let them have more control- routine is great, necessary even, but flexibility negates compliance and inspires innovation. For me, the most important strategy is independence. Don't assign projects with specific products- assign goals with certain outcomes but an endless array of presentation and demonstration- choice over consistency.
We must also design our classrooms, not just our lessons to be student-centered. Make the space kid friendly, engaging and simple. Colorful and attractive, but with splashes of intensity. Too many things on the walls may look attractive, but it can be distracting and it also makes the space yours- not theirs. Leave a lot of empty space- let them decide what to put up on the walls. Provide lots of options of seating: tables round and square, standing desks, cushions and rugs to squat on. Flexible seating both physically and socially based, will create a communal feel and will allow students to take responsibility of their learning, behavior and time-management. This is what I feel is often set aside, student self-regulation opportunities- but if true learning is going to take place, students need to learn how to self-advocate and self-regulate. Responsibility is learned, compliance is assigned.
When we clear the learning space- they get very creative and then the space becomes an art studio, a science lab, a beautiful landscape of their choosing, rather than a structured venue of our comfortability level. We as educators want to feel comfortable and in control- but when we leave our classrooms free of self-centeredness, but rather construct it with a little bit of personal uncomfortability- this is when growth happens. For our students and for us. We feel more confident in our teaching and behavior management and students become more self-reliant and can regulate their interactions and progress. This is when we are forced to submit to the unpredictability of education. Again it is not giving up authority or discipline, it is accepting nonconformity and just a little dissension. Dissension leads to ingenuity and structure while it focuses us towards innovation and change, also shows us the edge and we can choose to steer clear or take the leap. Strict routines however, squash both.
If we set the guidelines, model positivity, trust and respect, reinforce the routine but also provide wiggle room for change and detours- we will be happier as educators. We all want to feel in charge because then we feel learning is taking place. But often when we have every moment planned out and we follow a specific path, with no exceptions- the classroom becomes compliant and predictable. Change things up- have an exit ticket rather than a warm-up, have students purposeful talk rather than write reflections, provide a makerspace of various materials rather than a bucket of specific ones. Give students the opportunity to build, record, write, draw or even act out their knowledge. While some students will shy away from unpredictability, it is important that they see it on occasion because life is very much unpredictable. We as educators will be there to relieve any of their concerns by guidance and nudging into independence.
Every student regardless of grade level will benefit from a student-centered, student-designed space. Where some age groups need more guidance and routine, they will benefit from opportunities to be independent. Opportunities to make a mess. Learning should be messy- our brains all work differently, all respond to challenges in our own unique way- so if we confine our lessons and classrooms into how we think, what makes us comfortable, we are going to lose many students. But if we make them more flexible and student-centered- they will connect to their learning because it will be personal, rather than general and ordinary. Engagement is intimate, growth is particular to oneself- and if we truly desire engagement and growth, we need to be inclusive of all peculiarities and oddities of thought, processing and imagination. A classroom full of collisions, discombobulation and reassembly is a classroom both personal and communal because learning is messy- so get ready educators- get your shovel and rake and get ready to till the soil, plant some seeds and step back and let your garden flourish.
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