On page 168, the author states, “A class where students work well together and respect one another needs to be an orderly group. And the results are not just a better climate, but greater learning. Students who know each other well and have been taught to listen to one another are are likely to take risks and stretch beyond their comfort level as they learn” (Subjects Matter, 168). I believe in structure and discipline, as, like this author, I believe most students strive where there is order and direction. In creating an open and inviting classroom environment, your environment must be clean and orderly. Much like you clean your house before guests come over so they feel comfortable, you keep your classroom neat and clean for your students to feel comfortable. Once our expectations are set from the beginning, we can start to give the independence and choices our students need to feel trusted in the classroom. In this Tedx Talk, we learn from Esther Wojcicki about how to do this in our classroom.
In this video, she discusses students as learners who need independence and trust. She led a student newspaper that went from 19, to over 600 students at her public high school. When she was first observed for her teaching style, she was almost fired because she chose to do project based, student led learning over lecture style education. Though her observation did not go well, she chose to continue this method, and completely changed the atmosphere of her public school. If we are to say we want to make education better, we have to move away from practices that are harmful to our youth. They need structure and rules, followed by choices and independence. That is how you create an engaging classroom; not just a youtube video every few powerpoint slides. [312]
Thanks for sharing the Ted Talk, Courtney. My own experience generally aligns with your ideas about classroom structure. I've found that students need clear expectations that are consistently applied. Having said that, I taught in a very specific context--and so does Ms. Wojcicki, who teaches in Palo Alto, CA, one the countries wealthiest counties--and I figured out what worked in my context. Your framework (structure and rules followed by choice and independence) is general enough to hold true in most contexts, I think, but you might consider how a teacher should react when one of the pieces isn't working. What sort of systems must be in place that preserve structure so that choice and independence can follow? Thanks!
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