Our kids need different, not more...

We've all been there and we've all done it.

As the teacher, we teach something but the students don't understand it.

In our minds the material and skills are quite simple and straight forward, but for some reason the students just aren't grasping the information.

Our natural instincts take over and we do what makes sense to us...

Maybe if I talk louder and more slowly and repeat myself 4 times the students will understand it.

Maybe if I give more homework problems for practice the students will eventually work themselves into understanding the material.

Maybe if I explain it a few more times the information will begin to sink in.

And then... with all these maybes, we still don't see results.

So, then we do once again what makes sense to us...

Let's repeat all those maybes because something's bound to stick if we do it all again.

It's like a bad recurring dream and we've ALL been there and we've ALL done it.

As educators we tend to believe that kids need 'more' of whatever we are doing if it's ever going to make sense to them.

So we give them more... and more... and more... more right up until the kids are disgusted and we the educators have forgotten why we are even doing what we are doing.

The more we give the further our students get from actually understanding or mastering the skills.

Let's ditch the 'more' and start focusing on ways we can get the same information or skills across 'differently.'

Our kids don't need more of something they don't understand... they need what they don't understand presented differently.

Oh, and while we are at it, let's commit ourselves to allowing our students to have a voice in determining what different might look like.

You never know, their version of different just might make all the difference...

8 thoughts to help your classroom standout

Take one of your learning objectives and/or goals and ask your students to align it with a real-world problem or concern. Allow and encourage your students to take something they know about and care about in the world, and provide them the opportunity to help make it better. Give learning context and relevance...

Speaking of relevance... who determines in your classroom what is 'relevant?' Each student in your class has a unique and different set of life experiences, so how are we recognizing and honoring their interests. Also, as these interests change, what's relevant also changes...

http://goo.gl/tEZMUC

If we are limiting learning to just the four walls of a classroom, then that is equivalent to buying a Lamborghini and saying you are only going to drive it in your driveway... #globalconnectedness

If we eliminated the traditional titles of 'student' and 'teacher' and replaced both with 'learner,' how would the atmosphere and culture in your classroom change?

Fast forward 5 years down the line... imagine if your former students were asked about their experience in your class. If they were asked what is one thing they did in your class that positively impacted and positively affected the world, would they have something to say?

How often are kids in your class given the opportunity to develop and work on strong and thoughtful questions. In other words, what is the ratio in your class of kids answering questions vs. kids asking questions leading to answers? The best answers come from the best questions...

Speaking of ratio... what is the ratio of consumption vs. creation in your class? How much do your students consume vs. how much do they create...?

Lastly, what makes the learning experience in your classroom standout? What makes the learning culture in your classroom unique and personalized to the needs of your students? What's your learning experience 'advantage?'

Stop telling people how to use social media...

There's something happening in social media lately. Perhaps you've noticed it... perhaps not. Perhaps it's even bothering you too... perhaps not.

I don't think it was ever intended to happen, but nevertheless it's happening.

More and more I am hearing, seeing, and reading about how we should be using social media. There seems to be a growing consensus that there is one specific way to use social media and if you aren't using it that specific way, you are doing it wrong.

I'll be honest, there have been times when I have thought someone is not doing it right and said to myself that they aren't using the tool properly. Perhaps there are those who feel I'm not using social media properly...

http://www.flickr.com/photos/rhysasplundh/

As I see from others and reflect on what I have done, it has become blatantly clear to me that nobody is in any position to tell anybody else how they should or shouldn't be using social media.

Isn't one of the beauties of social media the fact that it is being utilized in ways that nobody could have ever imagined? Isn't it remarkable to see what has grown from something considered to be a fad is now commonplace and frankly an every day staple in our society?

Are there people who have absolutely zero netiquette and are frankly obnoxious... yes, absolutely there are. But hey, guess what, there are people outside of social media that don't have a considerate bone in their body and obnoxious wouldn't be a strong enough word to describe them.

Are there those using social media for reasons other than connecting and networking... yes, absolutely there are. Is it really a problem that they are using a tool (remember, social media is just a tool) for purposes other than connecting and networking?

My point here is simple, and maybe I'm wrong and way off base, but I just feel that we all have a choice on how we choose to use social media. I also think we should embrace social media for what it is... a tool that is customizable and personalized for all of our use, which means everyone is going to use it a little differently.

As I said, maybe I'm way wrong and not using social media properly by writing this blog post, but then again, maybe I'm not...