Teacher in Development

I’ve been coming back to one idea over and over as I dip into the world of student centered learning. That idea is this: Awareness. Awareness of self, and awareness of your students.

Aware of Self:
How do I teach today? What’s my style? Am I using outmoded methods? How do I see my role? Does it fit with SCL? Am I prepared, as J.M. so thoughtfully put it in his comments, to

“… humble ourselves and point students to the vast resources out there…i think it is einstein who said that ‘if i see any better it is because i have stood on the shoulders of giants’ or something like that. There are so many ‘experts’ available at our virtual finger tips that to not access them by introducing technology into the classroom and teaching appropriate use would be a dis-service to our students.”

Am I prepared to headshift: “I’m no longer the knowledge gateway.” “I’m no longer passing my knowledge along to passive learners.” “I’m no longer the sage on the stage.” (Thanks again J.M.)

Am I prepared to recognize the outmoded tools I use, and trade them in for upgrades?

“I’m a trajectory coach - I come alongside my students.” “I’m a prolific connector - I show my classroom the world, and help them connect to it, learn from it, contribute to it, participate in it, and create it.” “I no longer bend students around curriculum, but instead shape it to fit the NEEDS, PASSIONS and INTERESTS of my students.” “I feel comfortable beside my students - I don’t have to be in front of them.”

Aware of Students
A very thought provoking post from A.J. over at Effortless Language Acquisition around Great Students. A.J. raises some very important and key points to deploying a student centered classroom. Student centered teaching requires teachers to change, but it also requires a huge paradigm shift for students involved in the class as well.

“Teachers must change. That’s the theme of many of my posts… and its absolutely true. But there is a flip side to that: Students must change too. Forget being a passive student.”

We need to increase our awareness of how we see our students, and become very aware of how our students see themselves.

Teachers, preparing to deploy a SCL environment will need to make great headshifts, but so will our students. As a brave trajectory coach, we’ll have a part to play in that change, and helping students become aware of their “outmoded” learning styles.

Two major shifts. Two key players who need to build their awareness in order to successfully enter the updated classroom.