Module 7 Reflections

A student-centered classroom is a tough problem when you have a large class. However, when you get down around 15 or fewer students it gets easier. I have found that a student centered class means that I shift the activity from my shoulders to the student's shoulders. Not all of us are comfortable with that. I can go either way depending on the chemistry of the class or the topic.

To "facilitate the student-centered classroom" means I change my role to "facilitator" really. I find challenging tasks for the students to perform while I merely watch over their production. The key is clarity all around. The students must have clear expectations for what is to be done, how you will grade it and so on. I must be clear with instructions and offer helpful hints on the work as I wander around checking on things. Above all, I need to constantly be on the lookout for ways to be supportive and motivational. Adapting the tasks to allow for "differentiation" and to encourage creativity.

Using technology to support my instructional practices in the classroom is relatively with practice. The only roadblock is the availability, reliability and quality of the "technological resources". Assuming there is no problem, the students can be busy with technology every day in a history class. I have done it. Everything from daily trivia questions and "bellwork" can begin the class on a computer. Almost any topic in history can be further studied on the Internet. My most successful activities have been "scavenger hunts" for kids to look for detailed answers to questions about historical items. These are tricky because if they are too easily found, the students just go through the motions. If they are too difficult to find, they give up. A challenging question seems to be something easily found but requiring thought (rigor) on their part to answer. Products in class can be more rigorous as well. With the right rubric, thought must be placed into a product to reduce the "copy and paste" reflex.

On top of the relatively "old" ideas I've mentioned, the right access to blogs and wiki's can add a new demension to the class. With those "reflective" and "communicative" tools, students can collaborate with each other, find information they need or reflect on what they've done. Why wouldn't a teacher want all of that in place in their classroom. It may be a while before classes are purely "paperless" but these tools get us closer for sure.