CONNECTIONS: Teaching and Learning Contradictions
“We shouldn’t squander our valuable instruction time with routine management tasks. Immediately upon arrival, students should be engaged in some form of review of learning or preparation for learning.”
Rick Wormeli
The process of learning is a venture rife with contradictions. At times, I find myself believing in what can seem like completely opposing ideas. In fact, there are scads of examples, including the quote above from one of my favorite educators of all time, Rick Wormeli. I agree with Rick that valuable teaching and learning time should be reserved for, well, teaching and learning. At the same time, I also believe that–at least at the beginning of any course or school year–we can actually maximize learning time if we invest time spent on “routine management tasks” that we will encounter throughout the year, so that we need not waste time on these tasks subsequently as the year progresses. Here are three other contradictions I wrestle with when it comes to learning:
Contradiction #1:
We must teach to mastery.
We need to keep pushing forward through the curriculum.
When I was principal of a middle school, a teacher asked me, “Do you want me to make sure every student has learned the material or do you want me to keep up with the curriculum map?” My rather unhelpful answer was, “Yes.” Like virtually every educator I know, I believe that one of our primary responsibilities is to ensure that all students master grade level learning standards. Unfortunately, not every student will master each learning target, objective, or standard in the same way or on the same day. And the fact remains that there are many other standards awaiting to be taught and learned. We cannot wait until every child in every class proves mastery of a learning standard before moving to new learning. It does not mean, of course, that we do not find ways to circle back with students who need additional support on previous standards.
This is challenging to say the least, but we must do it. As an educator, I believe: We must do everything we can–individually and with our colleagues–to ensure all students master grade level standards. We must also keep up with pacing guides/curriculum maps to ensure that we teach all grade level standards during the course of a single school year.
Contradiction #2:
We need to focus on innovation.
All students must master basic skills.
We can never settle for the status quo in education; our customers (students) are too important. We must give our very best each day, but when we learn new and better ways to “do school” we must do so. We cannot simply keep adding more of what is familiar or merely improving upon the familiar. Today’s best practices will not be tomorrow’s; we must innovate, continuously creating new and better practices. Innovation does not mean we overlook basic skills, however. Every student must be fully literate, in particular, mastering reading early in their educational journeys. New, bright shiny toys and bells and whistles must not (and need not) replace direct, explicit, intentional instruction in the areas of reading, writing, mathematical computation, and scientific inquiry (to name but a few “basic” areas we must always emphasize in our schools).
As an educator, I believe: We must continue teaching basic skills, particularly at the primary grade levels, and we must constantly and actively pursue new and better ways to ensure we are motivating and inspiring all students to learn all that they can.
Contradiction #3:
It’s all about the kids.
It’s all about the teachers.
Something I say often–and look for in others when hiring staff–is that every important decision we make must be based on what is best for students. I believe that to my core. Yet, I also believe that the most important variable affecting student academic achievement is the quality of the teacher in every classroom at every school. Every educator I know would probably agree with the statement that “it is all about the kids,” but it will never be “all about the kids” unless we are also “all about their teachers.” We must support them, coach them, celebrate them, inspire them. Kids may well be #1 in our schools, but teachers are–at a minimum–#1A. Without honoring teachers and making sure that we are all about teachers, we will never be all about kids.
As an educator, I believe: Schools should be places at which we are all about kids. Schools should also be places at which we are all about the teachers.
I could list many other learning contradictions, including the fact that I believe students are much different today than they were many years ago, while I also believe that students in our schools today are pretty much the same as they have always been. What learning contradictions have you noticed in your experiences? We would love to hear what you would add to the list. Education and learning are challenging undertakings, in part, because so little is black and white and so much is gray; learning is rarely an “either/or” proposition. At the same time, the contradictions that make teaching and learning so challenging are also what make our efforts so rewarding. What we do is more art than science. At times, that can be discomfiting. Yet, it is a productive struggle and one we must recognize, embrace, and learn from. How can we thrive in an atmosphere where there are so many contradictions and so few obvious answers?
Creating cultures in which we recognize these contradictions and understand that there is seldom one right way to act are important ways we create a positive and productive culture in our schools.
Thanks to all educators reading this for the amazing work you are doing during these challenging times. As always, Teach and Lead with Passion...
Jeff and Jimmy
DAILY INSPIRATION EDUCATOR
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FEATURED BOOK!
Handle with Care: Managing Difficult Situations in Schools with Dignity and Respect by Jimmy Casas and Joy Kelly
In Handle with Care, authors Jimmy Casas and Joy Kelly examine a variety of difficult school-related situations, both in and out of the classroom.In schools across the country, educators at every level are faced with delicate, challenging situations that require leadership skills and insights in order to produce favorable outcomes for students and staff. This book provides educators with insights into a variety of difficult-to-handle situations and scenarios that educators can relate to and may have experienced themselves. Well-intentioned, but inadequate, human responses are identified and practical ideas for handling delicate situations with dignity and respect are provided. This book will help educators develop tools and techniques to help students and staff emerge from missteps more self-aware, feeling valued, and able to move forward.
In this book, you will learn:
What it takes to cultivate a school culture in which every student and staff member feels seen and heard.
How to treat student and staff missteps as opportunities for teaching and learning based on dignity and respect.
How to build leadership capacity and culturize school pride.
The value of student-centered classrooms and school-related programs.
FEATURED BOOK!
Disruptive Thinking in Our Classrooms: Preparing Learners for Their Future
by Eric Sheninger
The premise of this book is simple, yet powerful. It’s time to future-proof learning for ALL kids. Broken into four parts, this book combines stories, insight from thousands of school visits, practical strategies, research, lessons from the pandemic, and examples from classrooms to assist educators transform their practice. The parts:
Re-thinking “normal”
Re-thinking learning
Re-thinking the learner
Re-thinking our mindset
Each chapter ends with a “Disruptive Challenge” designed to do just that: Challenge educators to disrupt in some way their current thinking or professional practices.
Critical Components of the Book:
Disruptive change is the new normal. As such, our mindset and practices must evolve to future-proof learning in ways that help students develop meaningful competencies critical for success in an unpredictable world.
Comfort is the enemy of growth. We must critically evaluate if the way things have always been done in the classroom sets learners up for success now and in the future. Improvement in all we do is a never-ended journey.
Learning is a process, not an event. It requires educators to develop and use instructional practices and pedagogical techniques that meet the unique needs of all students.
Outlier practices play a key role in the development of disruptive thinking. Some practices add value while others do not. It is up to educators to find the right blend of these strategies to empower learners.
Packed with ready to use ideas and embedded resources including the latest digital tools, templates, and artifacts from real classrooms, readers will learn:
Why a mindset shift is essential in order to prepare learners for an unpredictable world.
How to implement strategies that focus on developing critical competencies.
How to ensure equity through personalization.
What to reflect on to improve and build powerful relationships.
CONNECTEDD’S TAKEAWAYS:
Thought for the Day: “Be sure you put your feet in the right place, then stand firm." Abraham Lincoln
Teaching Technique to Try: Living Images: Bringing History to Life: In this activity, students work in groups to recreate historical photographs by performing a series of “freeze frames” that capture the moments depicted in the photos. Such an activity helps students develop a deeper understanding of a particular moment in history, while providing them with an opportunity to practice collaborating with their peers as they brainstorm, direct, and perform their scenes. Check out this link from Facing History and Ourselves for a step-by-step process for using this technique.
Eyes On Culture: We believe that culture is a true difference maker in any classroom, school, district, or organization. As a result, we focus much of the work we do on creating and maintaining positive and productive cultures. Culture Focus: Risk Taking. High performing schools with strong cultures are places in which educators and students alike are people who are willing to take risks and are encouraged to take risks by those around them. They are willing to be vulnerable and take chances, accepting that, at times, failure is a normal and welcome aspect of the learning and growing process. In order to ensure that students and staff are willing to take risks, adults in the building act intentionally in this area. Rather than merely saying that it is OK to take risks and possibly fail, they model appropriate risk taking, sharing their experiences and stories about how taking a chance enabled them to accomplish things they previously thought impossible. They create safe learning spaces in which both students and staff become willing to move beyond their comfort zone, knowing that there will be no adverse consequences for doing so.
What are some other thoughts you have on risk taking in schools and what are some examples you have seen work in classrooms and schools? Please share your thoughts about a culture and gratitude via Twitter: @ConnectEDDBooks We would love to hear from you!