Teachers need to take the time to see school - and themselves - through the eyes of their students. A while back, an important piece appeared in the Washington Post written from the perspective of a teacher who spent two days living the life of a high school student - attending all the required classes and following the imposed rules. She was shocked by what she learned.
Often teachers are inundated with daily pressures - new Ministry initiatives, expansive curriculum, demanding parents, a vast array of students with all sorts of needs - the list goes on. And frequently, in the face of these stressors, teachers forget that first and foremost are the needs of the students. Here are a few things to keep in mind, when seeing school through the eyes of those school was created for in the first place.
Is Your Child Studying The Wrong Way?
Kids need to move! They need to play and tumble and spin. There is a reason kids need to be upside down from time to time. The younger the student, the more movement needed. The Ontario Ministry of Education has tried to address the research supporting this by implementing “Daily Physical Activity” - twenty minutes of movement based activity during the school day, required on days when a student does not have physical education class. This is a start, but it's not enough. Kids need to move often throughout the day and need to change their activity frequently. Teachers, think of how gross and exhausted you feel if you sit still for hours on end - please don’t require this of your students.
Each student is unique and what has worked with one may not work for another. Some students are quiet and struggle to speak up in a group setting. Some students are dealing with struggles at home and cannot focus on learning. Some kids seem the most confident and well-spoken, but are hiding something they feel ashamed of. Some students are bullies. Some kids are hungry. Some kids are shy. Many students are bullied. Some kids love reading and some kids hate it. Some kids can concentrate better if they are allowed to doodle or play with a stress ball while they listen. There is room for every child in our classes and every kid deserves your best attempt at engaging them on their level.
Very few people learn best just by sitting and listening - which remains the most popular teaching method. Yes, of course there is a place for this kind of teaching and we can guide our older students in effective ways to attend to a lecture and get information from it, but seriously - how many times do you zone out during that staff meeting - and you have had years of practicing this skill. Kids need to write and draw and think and play in order to learn. They need to engage all their senses and experience all kinds of activities that will help them grow. We need to expect less listening and more doing from our students.
There is a place for some homework and studying to teach students about deadlines and responsibility - but homework just for the sake of homework doesn’t show any improvement in learning and skill development. Long and tedious homework assignments often leave both students and parents frustrated and lead to kids developing a dislike for school. And really, isn’t it the goal of school to try and keep the love of learning alive in our students. Homework needs to be useful and appropriate. Before grade seven, homework should focus on short, engaging literacy and numeracy activities that help families be a part of student learning and that respect all the other things families need to accomplish in an evening.
As a teacher, this one is tough for me to remember. Teachers are ALWAYS directing the kids - sit still, line up, be quiet, watch me, try this, and so on and so on. I’m sure many parents are guilty of this too (myself included). But sometimes, we all just need to back off and let kids find their way. Every once in awhile, I try to tally the number of directions I give students in a day and I always lose count before lunch. I’m not saying that adults should not guide, coach and direct kids, but seriously, how will they ever figure things out for themselves if we don’t silence ourselves occasionally and give them room to think. Oh, and teachers, this also means when you ask a student a question, give them lots of time to answer - even if you have to sit with that uncomfortable silence for a minute or two. I think we are quick to jump in and “rescue” a kids who really just need a minute to put their thoughts together.
For teachers, parents and any adults that deal with kids, really the key is remembering that kids are people too - so try seeing the world from their energetic, playful perspective once in a while. Students of all ages need to feel valued, respected and need some enjoyment in their learning experiences. I know we have a lot of curriculum to get through and I know sometimes we just need the rowdy mob to sit still and listen. I also know that so many teachers are doing their best day in and day out. I’m not critiquing your efforts. Just asking you to consider the life of a student while you do your job. I think kids are born with an innate curiosity and a desire to learn. Let’s make sure school continues to fan those flames, rather than snuff the candle out.
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