"Probably he who never made a mistake never made a discovery"
--Samuel Smiles
In My Classroom
In my classroom, learning looks different every day. There are days when learning looks ‘traditional’--students sitting at desks, reading from books. While this may not be the best way to learn content, what students are doing in this case is learning about themselves as readers, learning about the way that words interact with one another on the page, and learning about the strategies that authors use to communicate a message or idea. Here, the true learning happens after the reading or activity, when students engage in meaningful conversation, discussion, and questioning about the material.
In my classroom, learning is loud, and you may not see it happening. I am lucky enough to teach in a brand new building that was designed for 21st century thinking and learning. Most days, I give brief instructions to my students regarding my expectations or tasks to be completed, and then they scatter. Students work in the commons just outside my classroom, retreat into small collaboration rooms, sit at the media bar with headphones in, or remain in the classroom for a more traditional environment, all within the confines of my learning community. In short, students are able to self-determine how they learn best and what environment suits them. From there, students work either individually or in small groups (usually groups) to investigate the topic I have given them or work toward a common goal. I am able to move from group to group answering questions, encouraging them to think more deeply, or participating in conversations. This is an ideal way to allow for variety in pacing as well as depth of learning. On the surface, it may appear as though learning is not taking place, but by stopping and talking to students individually it is clear that this more relaxed environment can truly work.
In my classroom, learning goes beyond the classroom. I have tried to build in an authentic component to each of my units, encouraging my students to consider how their learning extends beyond the classroom and can have connections to the real world. I have done this explicitly, through projects like Genius Hour (students have time each week to pursue a passion project) and implicitly through project-based learning. By encouraging students to think beyond a test or assessment, they again become more engaged in the process and more invested in their own learning outcomes.
I encourage you to view the photo gallery below, highlighting some exceptional moments in and beyond my classroom walls. Special projects, field trips, guest speakers, and collaborative learning are regular occurrences in my classroom and for my students, and I learn from their engagement each day.
In my classroom, learning is loud, and you may not see it happening. I am lucky enough to teach in a brand new building that was designed for 21st century thinking and learning. Most days, I give brief instructions to my students regarding my expectations or tasks to be completed, and then they scatter. Students work in the commons just outside my classroom, retreat into small collaboration rooms, sit at the media bar with headphones in, or remain in the classroom for a more traditional environment, all within the confines of my learning community. In short, students are able to self-determine how they learn best and what environment suits them. From there, students work either individually or in small groups (usually groups) to investigate the topic I have given them or work toward a common goal. I am able to move from group to group answering questions, encouraging them to think more deeply, or participating in conversations. This is an ideal way to allow for variety in pacing as well as depth of learning. On the surface, it may appear as though learning is not taking place, but by stopping and talking to students individually it is clear that this more relaxed environment can truly work.
In my classroom, learning goes beyond the classroom. I have tried to build in an authentic component to each of my units, encouraging my students to consider how their learning extends beyond the classroom and can have connections to the real world. I have done this explicitly, through projects like Genius Hour (students have time each week to pursue a passion project) and implicitly through project-based learning. By encouraging students to think beyond a test or assessment, they again become more engaged in the process and more invested in their own learning outcomes.
I encourage you to view the photo gallery below, highlighting some exceptional moments in and beyond my classroom walls. Special projects, field trips, guest speakers, and collaborative learning are regular occurrences in my classroom and for my students, and I learn from their engagement each day.