What should I call my reading groups?
Our big topic next term is change. What should I do around this?
We're doing inquiry next term, what are some topic ideas?
I find myself saying 3 words: "Ask the kids." and those who know me won't be surprised to hear that this is quickly followed (or sometimes preceded) by "What's your purpose?"
Before going further I'd like to say something about the teachers who are asking questions such as these. These teachers are learners (as are we all), they are asking questions that show they have a need to further develop their skills and understandings around learner agency and student inquiry and we should be supporting them on that journey.
Now let's look at those examples:
What should I call my reading groups?
Why are you giving them a name? How about supporting them to come up with something meaningful to them? How about having them get together and negotiate a name for themselves? Sure it will take a bit more class time but isn't 'Managing Self' a Key Competency you are trying to develop? Aren't things like being able to negotiate, make decisions and compromise, important skills that are best learned in authentic contexts? We won't develop agentic learners if we make all the decisions for them.
Our big topic next term is change. What should I do around this?
What's your purpose for having them learn about change? Which aspect (s) of change are you wanting them to learn about? E.g. 'Change can be permanent or temporary' is quite different to 'living things change over time' or "coping with changes in our lives', 'changes to the environment can be be caused by inanimate things like wind and water or animate things like people, plants and animals' or 'we can change our minds based on new evidence'. Does it matter what the context is so long as it meets the purpose? Why not share that purpose with them and ask them for some contexts that have meaning and relevance to them? How about giving them some provocations to stimulate their curiosity and seeing what questions arise?
We're doing inquiry next term, what are some topic ideas?
First up, you don't "do" inquiry. You use an inquiry approach or you inquire into a question, problem etc. I'd be asking what the purpose of the inquiry was? Once that is clear, Iook for some authentic contexts that you know are relevant to your learners. You could share some provocations to stimulate questions, then follow their lead into areas that meet the purpose but are relevant to them. Or straight out share the purpose with them and ask them to suggest some contexts.
So next time a teacher asks what they should name their maths group or what their inquiry topic should be, let's not jump in with an answer but instead support them to grow in their understanding of developing agentic learners with inquiring dispositions.
I'll just finish with this great sketchnote from the marvellous @sylviaduckworth.
This is a great post Jan-Marie, I also agree with how spinning a statement around to a question can make all the difference. The interactions a student can make by arguing their point is extremely powerful. I found in my class of year 7's though that I did have to teach these skills eg. To argue a point you must have points to back yourself up (evidence).
ReplyDeleteI am currently looking into student agency and wondered what your perception of this is as a definition?
P.S great video ! It made me laugh a lot.
You are spot on when you say we need to teach them those skills. Something that seems simple like making decisions is actually complex if you do it properly, you need to find all the choices, research the impact of each choice on various parties, give weights to different consequences then, using the information you've gathered, make your decision. That's not something most learners will know how to do if they aren't taught.
DeleteI prefer the term learner agency to student agency because, for me, it fits better with the notion of us being lifelong learners. My definition would be something like: Learners are empowered to take control and ownership of their own learning.
That's just off the top of my head though.
I understand that we should encourage the students' self regulatory skills but at what point do we have to intervene as teachers? Can we help learners to engage in areas where they have little confidence or knowledge?
ReplyDeleteGood question. That's something we are constantly making decisions about as teachers. I see it as a continuum of support. We can't expect learners to suddenly jump into being self-regulated when they don't have the skills so we scaffold the learning for them removing just enough of the scaffolds so they don't fall but are still challenged. The level of support needed will vary with the task. We won't always get that balance right but we do our best.
DeleteYour blog is timely. We are looking at differentiation and student agency and how these work together. Many of our discussions concern how hard it is to shift from a 'spoon fed' model of teaching to a model that allows the student agency, true agency. I am finding this particularly challenging at senior level. Habits are set and students have their eyes firmly on credits.
ReplyDeleteThis is definitely a challenge and the longer learners have been in a teacher-controlled environment the harder it is for some to break out of it. There is an aspect of learned helplessness. It is so much easier for learners to just wait for the teacher to hand it to them. Some learners will love this immediately but for others we have to help them see the benefits. It can often take 6 -12 months for some students to break out of their old habits. One of the important things is to discuss with them why they need to take control and for some we need to empower empower them slowly, step-by-step. The earlier we start though the better. A secondary I'd be doing a big push at yr 9 & 10 where the stakes aren't so high so that by the time they get to year 11 they are already taking control of their learning.
DeleteAt present the Year 7 and 8s at our school are being introduced to elements of a modern learning environment. I am not sure if I am seeing a significant difference in the independence of the Year 9s I teach this year. It will be interesting to see how long it takes for a change and development in pedagogy to show in the attitude, and of course results in the senior school. I of course need to need to develop good habits and relinquish control!
DeleteRelinquishing control is not as easy as it sounds but is an essential part of developing learner agency. Often it is easier for us, as well as the learners, to just do it for them. Handing the control over to them is not a smooth process but it is a necessary one.
ReplyDelete