Letting Go!

The Choice

            One of easiest changes to make, but hardest to let go of is the teacher control in a class.  Letting learners make choices in how they want to learn and show personal growth goes against the intuition of many teachers.  Why is it we feel the need to tell learners everything they are going to do every step of the way?  We know the value of learning through trial and error, but do we ever let learners experience this in the class?  Why do we feel that all individuals are able to learn at the same pace?  If one knows the learning outcomes/standards isn’t it possible for example to have some learners to slow down while others speed up as they strive to reach the same end point?  How often is it that the same four or five students in a class are doing all the talking?  In letting go, we have actually seen levels of engagement dramatically increase.  We are hearing more voices on a daily basis by those who seem to feel empowered by the voice and choice.  We can’t help but believe this increase in engagement and participation is due to the walls of the “right answer” or “the right way” being broken down.  Our learners are finding their own way and it’s fascinating.  An added bonus is the little amount of time we spend managing behaviors.  Truly it’s minimal at best.  

In most of our classes there is time set aside for learners to delve into the content on a very personal level.    During this time we let learners have voice and choice with how they work with the materials or information.  For the last few units that choice for learners has been working individually, in collaborative groups, or sitting in on a teacher seminar.  Some advantages learners have experienced when working individually is they can work at their own pace, whereas learners who choose to work in collaborative groups prefer that social interaction with others.  Teacher seminar provides learners with the guided instruction that some feel they need to process and make sense of the content.  Individuals ebb and flow throughout different choices depending on their knowledge of their needs.  One young man expressed how he appreciated the chance to work independently, tune into the teacher seminar when he wanted, then go back to his individual work without being reprimanded for “not paying attention”.  We have our classroom set up with designated areas for each learning environment.  At the front of the room is are tables that form a half circle for teacher seminar, at the back are clustered tables for collaborative group work and to the side of the classroom are tables that allow for individuals to work alone.  Voice and choice time always begins with everyone hearing the objectives of the day (instructions related to the activities that are based on standards, reiterating the WHY?) followed by learners moving to the area of the room that matches their choice.  This mobility helps the learners focus and lets us, as the teacher, easily see what the learners’ choices are.  Here is how we set up this learning experience with our classes: https://youtu.be/bMdY16cq-GQ

We are finding much more pros than cons in this new format of class time.  The pros included learners feeling validated and respected by being trusted and in control of their learning.  Our instructional coach (teacher assigned to observe and reflect with us) noted during an observation that 100% of the students in teacher seminar were on task and not using their device to be distracted in any way.  He felt that because of the fact that there was an individual choice to be there without the traditional coercion they’re used to, the learners were more invested.  He also noted he felt the learners having to physically get up and move was effective in focusing students, even if it was a subconscious factor.  Another advantage is during the teacher seminar we get to work with about 8-15 learners at a time.  We have found that for the most part the learners that choose teacher seminar are the ones that we would have selected to work with us, or they are the learners that we would have been trying to circulate to during class work time.  Now we have their attention in a much more personal way with a more consistent framework, proving to be more effective.  There was a lesson where everyone in the class choose teacher seminar, but it still felt more focused because everyone got up, moved to get closer to the front of the room, and CHOSE to be a participant.  The only con that we have come across is that a few students have chosen to work by themselves or in a group and have not been able to show any formative evidence of how they are building their capacity to learn.  For these few students we have asked that they remain in teacher seminar until they can show progress around knowing their learning needs, and how their choice of how to learn, helps them work toward the standards.    

The Voice

Through our training with Dr. Sharroky Hollie with culturally responsive teaching, we have more strategies for making sure everyone has a voice.  We want all the voices in our class to be heard and if we are not intentional about discussion protocols we find the same few students speaking out.  As much as we try and personalize the learning, we also take advantage of the collaborative opportunities that arise out of a large group discussion in the classroom setting.  Part of our work with personalizing learners is making sure all learners are engaged, affirmed and validated throughout their time with us.  

Here are some of the CRL strategies we use on a regular basis:

• Clock partners: for a fun classroom building exercise we asked learners questions and they made clock appointments.  Questions such as, “Find someone with the same birthday month. Find someone who has the same favorite food, is wearing the same color as you, falls in the same birth order, similar shoe size, favorite season, and so on…”  They are not allowed to have the same person more than once and we only make 6 appointments at a time.  Throughout the year at different times in the class we ask them to get with their clock partners (go to a 1:00 appointment) in order to discuss the anticipatory set, journal, content or anything else.
• Numbered heads: when students are in groups each member has a number and we roll a dice to see who will speak on behalf of the group (after the group has already had time to discuss).
• Shout Outs: when appropriate we have students call out answers and not raise hands.  
• Whip Around: works well as a debrief where we go around and every learner says one word or thought on the content we worked through  
• Popsicle Sticks: Learners’ names are on sticks and one is pulled to see who will share out, to engage all learners and hear from a variety of voices.
• Speed Learning: we make an inner and outer circle of learners, the match up with another person (we usually have them greet one another with a class handshake that we make up together) and then they discuss for a few minutes the topic at hand.  Next, one of the two circles rotate so they have a new partner, greet one another and share out.  Learners get to talk to numerous students in a short amount of time.  
• Bright Ideas:  each student is given a star and as they share his/her bright idea they throw in their star.  
• Phone a friend:  learners phone a friend for help with problems or answers in a call and response format.
  
    
  

Change the Sequence

Another way we have found to personalize learning has been to change the sequence and allow for learners to meet standards throughout the unit and not wait until the end.   Learners don’t need mastery to begin applying the skills.  When an athlete learns a game he or she practices the skill for a bit, plays a game and comes back to practicing the skill(s) again.  Because we begin the unit by outlining each standard, learners can meet the standards at different times.  For example, learners began to write their literary analysis essays midway through the novel To Kill a Mockingbird.  In doing this, we as teachers can give learners formative feedback so they could apply it as they moved forward with the essay.  Giving more intense and thorough feedback early on rather than waiting until after they have finished has proven to increase engagement.  Learners can continue to work on their essay as they progress through the novel, once again allowing for learners to finish their work at different paces.  

In this unit of study, we also give learners the option for meeting the other standards they need to demonstrate at any time in the second half of the novel.  We model and practice different reading strategies that address standards in the first half of the novel and in the second half the learners choose the evidence of meeting the standard.  This choice encourages original thoughts and ownership of the learning.  Once again our attempt is to take away the “one size fits all” model and allow for students to work at different paces and meet standards when they are ready.  This is in addition to the way we personalize how students engage in the work (teacher seminar, collaborative groups or individual work).    

This year we are intentionally aware of how we are implementing personalized learning and this framework is our first go round.  We look forward to the continued data we will be collecting including parent and learner feedback, as well as a learner’s final essay and projects in order to continue gauging how effective the work is for learners and their families.  Stay tuned for the results!

One learner commented, “Mrs. Pettis, if I were reading To Kill a Mockingbird on my own I would not appreciate at it, but because of your enthusiasm and our discussions I really like it.”  The essence of teaching is not lost in personalize learning, it is ever more important in guiding learners in their journeys.  Recently at a conference Kaela picked up the quote, “our best one to one device will always be great teachers.”  To us it has become clear that learners NEED their teachers, just in different ways.

What are ways you have personalized your class?