HOW DO CHILDREN LEARN? HOW DO I TEACH WITH THIS IN MIND?
Children want to be a part of something, they want to belong. This is especially true for the young adults I teach. Abraham Maslow, noted humanist, goes so far as to say that belongingness is a primary need, right after safety and physiological needs. In my classroom, community is most important. Much of the work is done in pairs or small groups, and I emphasize the importance of every one using her strengths to contribute to the group. Whenever a student is out, I tell her when she comes back, “Welcome back, we missed you! I’m so happy you’re back!” I greet my students every day with a smile. It’s important to me that each student feel welcome, appreciated, and most of all, that she belongs in our class.
Children learn when they feel safe. As Dr. David Pelcovitz, psychologist, says, “A stressed student can’t learn.” Although many of my classes are advanced, I work hard to make sure that everyone, including those with learning challenges, feel safe and supported. That means offering additional tutoring sessions, finding alternative ways of including unsure students in class participation without calling on them suddenly, setting up assessments in a way that is fair and predictable, and always speaking calmly and positively. I also run my classes as mastery classes. That means a number of things, including my signature policy that a student can correct any assignment with no penalty as long as it’s before the end of the grading period. My students can quote me on this one, “Learning is messy. Learning takes time.” I don’t expect every student to get it the first time! I value the learning process and effort, so if a student didn’t do as well as she’d hoped on her math homework, she can have a second (or third or fourth!) chance. My students know they have this safety net, and feel bolder about tackling something challenging if they know it’s okay if they don’t quite get it the first time around.
Children learn in their zone. Psychologist Lev Vygotsky introduced the idea of a zone of proximal development, that students learn best not where it’s too easy and below them, or where it’s too hard and they shut down, but instead in that sweet spot where it’s hard and challenging, but doable with help and scaffolding. This is one I believe in passionately, with many thanks to Dr. Laya Solomon for her guidance in this area! This means differentiating for brighter students who are bored with the standard grade-level curriculum and giving them partnerships and opportunities to explore and advance in the topic in their zone. It also means differentiating for weaker students who need additional support. Either way, it means that students should have opportunities to feel challenged, and then proud of themselves when they conquer that challenge. Since self-efficacy is a major goal in my classes, I build in a lot of positive talk “If I work hard, I can do this.” My students know that Mrs. Rosenbloom’s classes are tough, and that her standards are high, but that they will be supported and that they can be successful.
Children learn when they are engaged. Although there is a time and place for lecture and frontal teaching, I believe that children learn best when they are actively processing the knowledge. I don’t “feel guilty” when I spend a whole period guiding students as they review a topic together; THIS is when the real learning happens! They don’t need me as their teacher if I’m just going to read off my slides. I move away from the “sage on the stage” model, and teach more like a “guide on the side” (Professor Alison King). For me this means including inquiry-based lab activities, pair and small-group work, and lots of opportunities for students to process what they are learning. For my science and engineering classes, a significant portion is spent on lab work. Not only are my students more engaged (because cutting open a frog is fun!) but they end up having a better understanding of the material, and build essential skills in collaboration, critical thinking, and problem solving. In my math classes, we frequently play review games that get the girls moving while doing their math. Who says math can’t be fun?
Children learn when they feel their work has value. You can’t convince a student she’ll need algebra for the rest of her life if she really won’t. I show my students that the topic has value, and that the learning itself has value. I believe that the process is more important than the product, that the skills and self- and social understanding we gain from struggling and learning is immensely valuable, regardless of the topic.
Children learn when the classroom is strong and organized. As much as I hear people saying, “students love to go off topic!” I see from student surveys in my school that they actually appreciate classes more when the learning was strong, consistent, and on-topic. At the end of the day, if they saw that the teacher didn’t really care if they were learning, then why should they? My students can frequently hear me saying, “Our time together is precious! Let’s not waste a minute of it.” It also means that children learn best when their teacher comes prepared to class, starts and ends class on time, and hands back assignments graded in a fair and timely manner. These principles form the backbone of my class. My students know that I have a sense of humor, and I love chatting with them in the halls, but they also know that Mrs. Rosenbloom will NOT be late to class!
Children learn when there is transparency. I think this is especially true of the young adults I teach . Psychologist G. Stanley Hall described adolescence as a time of “storm and stress.” They are shifting away from the black and white paradigm, and realizing that the world is mostly grey. They are quick to spot hypocrisy. I design my assessments to be fair and predictable, and students have access to their grades and can see how each mark affects their average. All of my assignments are graded numerically using a rubric or clear system. I like to maintain solid communication with my students, through written, email, and verbal feedback that is friendly, focused, and frequent.
Children learn when their teacher is someone they can respect. Children learn when they look up to their teacher, when they feel that their teacher is someone they want to learn from. This is probably the toughest one, since it demands personal growth. I can’t just sit back and let myself run on autopilot. I need to be the best person I can be, so that my students can say, “I don’t care what she teaches, I just want to be in Mrs. Rosenbloom’s class.” I need to work on being that person: someone with honesty, sincerity, and integrity. I need to be someone with knowledge and wisdom, but also a sense of humor and humility. I need to be someone who genuinely cares about my students, and who can put myself in their shoes to understand where they’re coming from.