My findings - What did I learn?
Through an entire year of observing, reflecting and having conversations with students and teachers I have learned that the learning environment has a huge impact on the learning and thinking of students. There are certain conditions that need to be present in order for students to have a chance at being successful and seeing themselves as learners:
CONDITIONS FOR LEARNING
- purposeful collaboration among students - this must be practiced and integrated across the curriculum and day
- student talk that is focused and provides all members with an entry point
-students are active participants in their learning where their voice is evident in topics studied and shared and their questions are valued
-students have choice in how to show their thinking (use of technology, use of a model etc.) based on their preferred learning styles
-the classroom is an environment of risk taking (for both students and teachers) where failure is seen as a learning opportunity
-educators use the triangulation of data (observations, conversations and products) to make informed decisions for their planning and assessment
This list is by no means meant to be exhaustive, but instead some key findings that I have found important when considering the learning environment in the classroom. Below is a quote from a host teacher about her reflection of the learning environment.
" My wish was to create a learning environment where student voice was valued, collaboration was at the heart of learning and authentic questions drove instruction and next steps and encouraged kids to seek answers on a topic that was intrinsically motivating" Host Teacher 2013
CONDITIONS FOR LEARNING
- purposeful collaboration among students - this must be practiced and integrated across the curriculum and day
- student talk that is focused and provides all members with an entry point
-students are active participants in their learning where their voice is evident in topics studied and shared and their questions are valued
-students have choice in how to show their thinking (use of technology, use of a model etc.) based on their preferred learning styles
-the classroom is an environment of risk taking (for both students and teachers) where failure is seen as a learning opportunity
-educators use the triangulation of data (observations, conversations and products) to make informed decisions for their planning and assessment
This list is by no means meant to be exhaustive, but instead some key findings that I have found important when considering the learning environment in the classroom. Below is a quote from a host teacher about her reflection of the learning environment.
" My wish was to create a learning environment where student voice was valued, collaboration was at the heart of learning and authentic questions drove instruction and next steps and encouraged kids to seek answers on a topic that was intrinsically motivating" Host Teacher 2013
reflect, rethink and go forward
There are still some wonderings that remain with me. I wonder about mindset in both teachers and students. Does having a growth mindset vs. a fixed mindset improve student engagement and thus thinking? What strategies can educators teach that will help change the mindset of a student who has learned helplessness? How does teaching metacognitive strategies improve students abilities to persevere with difficult tasks and solve problems particularly in Mathematics? How do we foster metacognition in students? These questions will be some of my wonderings as I move forward through inquiry with other colleagues.
As a go forward, I will continue to study student behaviours, and thinking through observations, conversations and student work next year. I want to look deeply at the questions that I ask students to be sure I get to the heart of their thinking. Digging deeper into pedagogical documentation and extracting thinking out of videos, pictures and student work will also be a focus to go forward for myself. I truly have so much to learn. I would again like to thank all of my host teachers and senior administration with the Huron Perth Catholic District School Board for supporting this important work as we move along this journey together. I feel truly privileged to have had the opportunity to work within this role.
“The mind is not a vessel to be filled, but a fire to be kindled.” ― Plutarch
As a go forward, I will continue to study student behaviours, and thinking through observations, conversations and student work next year. I want to look deeply at the questions that I ask students to be sure I get to the heart of their thinking. Digging deeper into pedagogical documentation and extracting thinking out of videos, pictures and student work will also be a focus to go forward for myself. I truly have so much to learn. I would again like to thank all of my host teachers and senior administration with the Huron Perth Catholic District School Board for supporting this important work as we move along this journey together. I feel truly privileged to have had the opportunity to work within this role.
“The mind is not a vessel to be filled, but a fire to be kindled.” ― Plutarch