Autonomy is key.
This week’s readings took me back to my summer book, Drive by Daniel Pink. The most important of the three psychological needs, autonomy is reached when people have choice over the four T’s: their task, their time, their technique, and their team. If we want our students to be able to successfully contribute to our world, then they must be encouraged to think outside the box and then actually be allowed to think outside the box. Both the article from this week and Drive discuss a concept called “20% time”. Basically, students spend 20% of their time in school learning about and creating things that interest them. Personally, I think this concept is pretty neat and I would want to set up days throughout the school year for students to share out what they have learned/created. Even if you can't do a 20% structure, you can include autonomy in learning activities, projects, and laboratory experiments. Also, as a teacher, it would be essential for you to be engaged throughout the entire 20% time process and encourage student reflection to ensure learning is occurring. This can be accomplished through asking effective questions, student reflection worksheets, and one-on-one meetings with students about what they’re working on. Honestly, the 20% time concept reminds me a lot of what SAEs are supposed to be all about. Students directing their learning. So let's make sure we're bringing that into the classroom, too.You must tell students they MATTER.
The TEDx talk titled “You Matter” was very inspirational and moving. It was all about the notion that noticing and making sure people know they matter can change the world. As teachers, this is so important to understand and act on. I mean, that’s the real reason we are or are working on becoming teachers, right? To help people matter. This also makes me think back to the book Drive by Daniel Pink. One of the other essentials to motivation is PURPOSE. So by truly believing in your students and telling them they matter and have a purpose, they will rise to those beliefs and believe them as well. One thing that I would like to take into the classroom someday is beginning each lesson off with “You are a genius and the world needs your contribution”. Not only does this tell students they matter, it is a call to action. For some students, we may be the only people all day to tell them that we notice them and that they matter. Let's not let them down.These are the two videos that were part of our Weekly Investment this week. Check them out!
References:
Cornell University Center for Teaching Excellence. (2015). Using Effective Questions. Retrieved from http://www.cte.cornell.edu/teaching-ideas/engaging-students/using-effective-questions.html
Pink, Daniel. (2009). Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us. New York: Penguin Group.
Dyer, J.E. (n.d.) Effective Questioning Techniques. Retrieved from https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/pdffiles/WC/WC08400.pdf
National FFA LifeKnowledge. (n.d.) Coaching Session Quick Reference Guide. Retrieved from https://www.ffa.org/myresourcedocuments/coachingguide/Basics_of_Coaching/coaching_Guide/Lesson02/pdf/Individual-Coaching-Session-Quick-Reference-Guide.pdf
Dyer, J.E. (n.d.) Effective Questioning Techniques. Retrieved from https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/pdffiles/WC/WC08400.pdf
National FFA LifeKnowledge. (n.d.) Coaching Session Quick Reference Guide. Retrieved from https://www.ffa.org/myresourcedocuments/coachingguide/Basics_of_Coaching/coaching_Guide/Lesson02/pdf/Individual-Coaching-Session-Quick-Reference-Guide.pdf
I could not agree more on the importance of making sure your students know they matter. You will find that you will easily connect with certain students, in my experience it has been the students with the same hobbies as yourself and especially your FFA students. My challenge to you is how will you make these connections with your other students, a challenge I continue to work on myself.
ReplyDeleteI love your idea of starting off each day with an inspirational message letting your students know they are important. It may seem like they are not listening but even if it sticks with just one student then it will be worth it. Each Friday as my student leave I wish them a good weekend and tell them to make good life decisions, after two years of this my students now mock me and wish me the same. I know that for some of my students that I may be the only person encouraging them to make good decisions, just as you may be the only person telling them that they matter, and that is no small task.
Great blog! Looking forward to next week!
Rose, excellent job connecting this week's reading assignment to the book you read over the summer and the concept of SAE. What are some things that you plan to do you increase the 20% and to help students find and feel as if they have purpose? Both are great goals to continually keep striving for in your classroom.
ReplyDeleteRose, the more I hear about your summer read, the more I want to read it! I must say that I agree with the points that you presented. Student directed learning allows for more growth. I think back to AEE 311 where we dove into autonomy. Good Job!
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