Not only does my own personal experience support this belief, but from what I have seen up to this point in classrooms supports it as well. Students can memorize, recite, and mindlessly learn anything if teachers are persistent enough. But I believe that even one activity in which students do something, make something, or have any kind of interaction with each other or the assignment is far more beneficial than trying to memorize a list of facts.
- Making meaning out of what students are learning is essential.
Some students may be able to get by without making meaning of their learning, just doing whatever the teacher says because they believe they have to or they will get into trouble, but students really thrive in classrooms that make meaning of the learning. Same goes for any interest the student has outside of school. For example, what inspires a student to practice to get better at basketball? They like to play it, so they want to get better. Any student who is able to make meaning of their learning and relate it to an interest will be more open to learning.
- Establishing a classroom community.
Not only does a classroom community facilitate a sense of belonging in which students can exchange thoughts and ideas freely, but it will also satisfy a basic need all students require to learn efficiently, a sense of safety. No student will learn to their potential if they are too afraid to participate or do not feel welcome in the classroom. A community would break down those walls so even the shyest student can openly converse with the class free from any stress or worrying.
No matter what background your students come from or what barriers they must overcome, all students have the inherent ability to learn. I think people who don't agree with this think of learning as strictly academic, which for some students might be very difficult. But learning does not have to take place within academics to be learning. A student who knows extensive bus routes so they can make it home after school, an ELL student who uses symbols to communicate until they have a firm grasp on english, or a student who knows the difference between right and wrong are all valid examples of learning.
- Student centered learning is very effective.
Giving students more control over their own learning in the classroom setting can be terrifying and extremely rewarding. Going along with learning by doing, by centering the learning around the student instead of the teacher the limits are endless, as opposed to a routine worksheet on the topic that some students breeze through and others struggle with. I think that students will benefit more than they would have thought through student centered learning.
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