8/5/2015

HowStudentCenteredIsYourClassroom?|Edutopia

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How Student Centered Is Your

Classroom?
J A NUA RY 2 9 , 2 0 1 5

RebeccaAlber
EdutopiaConsultingOnlineEditor

Intheeducationworld,thetermstudentcenteredclassroomisonewehearalot.Andmanyeducators
wouldagreethatwhenitcomesto21stcenturylearning,havingastudentcenteredclassroomiscertainly
abestpractice.
Whetheryouinstructfirstgradeoruniversitystudents,takesometimetothinkaboutwhereyouarewith
creatingalearningspacewhereyourstudentshaveamplevoice,engagefrequentlywitheachother,and
aregivenopportunitiestomakechoices.

GuidingQuestions
Usethesequestionstoreflectonthelearningenvironmentyoudesignforstudents:
Inwhatwaysdostudentsfeelrespected,feelvalued,andfeelpartofthewholegroup?
Inwhatwaysdostudentshaveownershipoftheclassroom?Dotheyevermakedecisionsabout
resources,environment,oruseoftime?When?Howoften?
Dotheyhaveownershipintheirlearning?Dotheyhavechoicesandoptionsforprojects,assignments,
andpartnersforgroupwork?
Whenarestudentscomfortablewithexpressingwhotheyareandtheirthoughtsandideas?Whenare
theynot?
Whendoyouinquireabouttheneedsofyourstudents?Howoftendoyoudothis?Howoftendoyou
checkforgroupunderstandingandadjusttheinstructionaccordingly?

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HowStudentCenteredIsYourClassroom?|Edutopia

checkforgroupunderstandingandadjusttheinstructionaccordingly?
Howaredesksarranged?Arestudentsfacingeachother?Dotheyhavemultipleopportunitieseach
weektosharewithfellowclassmates,andtosharewithavarietyofclassmates?
Astheinstructor,whatismy"airtime"eachclasssession?Howmuchdirectinstructionisthere?How
mightIchangesomeofthatdirectingteachingtofacilitating?(Here'sapostIwroteonthistopic,How
toTransformDirectInstruction(http://www.edutopia.org/blog/toolsforteachingtransformdirect
instructionconstructivismrebeccaalber).)

BalancingTeacherRoles
Solet'stalkaboutthatlastquestion,andspecifically,directinstructionversusfacilitation.When
consideringvariousteachingapproaches,balanceisthekeyword.Ifweturntotheworkofeducational
researchersGrantWigginsandJayMcTighe,andtheirseminalbook,UnderstandingbyDesign(UbD)
(http://www.ascd.org/Publications/Books/Overview/UnderstandingbyDesignExpanded2ndEdition.aspx),
theymakeacallforeducatorstoreflectonhowtheybalancethefollowingthreeteachingroles:
Facilitation:openendedquestioning,problemposing,Socraticseminar,andguidedinquiry
Directinstruction:demonstration,modeling,andlecturing
Coaching:providingfeedback,conferencing,andguidedpractice
Howdoyoudecideonhowmuchofoneroleandnotenoughofanother?Well,whendesigninglearningfor
yourstudents,keepthisismind:Thereneedstobeahealthybalancebetweenstudentconstructionof
meaningandteacherguidance.
Inotherwords,yes,youneedtotellthemstuffandshowthemhowtodothings,butyoualsoneedtolet
yourlearnersdiscover,experiment,andpracticeeveniftheymissthemarkortarget.Educationalresearch
tellustimeandtimeagainthatalllearners(youngorold)needtimetomuddlethroughandmakemeaning
ofnewcontent,ideas,andconceptswithsomecoachingandguidance,butalsoindependently.
Inthecommentssectionbelow,sharewithusyourideasandpracticesforfosteringalearning
environmentthatisstudentcentered.

Source:www.edutopia.org/blog/howstudentcenteredyourclassroomrebeccaalber
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