Collaborative Learning
For many years, including the years I attended elementary and secondary school, teaching was an isolated individual activity. Teachers closed their classroom door and took total control of their space. As Fullan describes, “[T]he teacher of the future must be equally at home in the classroom and in working with others to bring about continuous improvements” (Fullan, 1993). One of the key elements that teachers should develop is a partnership with their students. Allowing students’ voices to be a regular part of the classroom, will foster an environment of trust, which will then allow an improvement in teaching and learning to occur. Thompson’s article provides a comprehensive overview of an international movement to include young people in educational change. The use of student voice can have positive effects on social, educational, cultural and personal improvement.
There are many ways teachers can incorporate student voice in their classroom. From a pedagogical point of view, students should be involved in developing and directing the classroom environment. It should begin from the very start, by actively involving students in the development of classroom rules and procedures. This can be accomplished by asking students to express their viewpoints and ideas. By co-constructing learning goals and success criteria, teachers are allowing student voice
to be an integral part of the learning environment. Students who actively take part in these types of activities not only feel that they are empowered partners in learning but they also develop a clearer understanding of what is expected and what quality work looks like. Allowing students’ voices is one important way that teachers can demonstrate that they are committed to being “an agent of change” (Fullan, 1993). The mindset of engaging students as partners in their learning is a huge departure from classrooms of the past.
C.D
References:
Fullan, G. M. (1993). Why Teachers Must Become Change Agents, March, 50(6), 12-17.
Thomson, P. (2010). Involving Children and Young People in Educational Change: Possibilities
and Challenges,(pp.809-824) doi:10.1007/978-90-481-2660-6_45
There are many ways teachers can incorporate student voice in their classroom. From a pedagogical point of view, students should be involved in developing and directing the classroom environment. It should begin from the very start, by actively involving students in the development of classroom rules and procedures. This can be accomplished by asking students to express their viewpoints and ideas. By co-constructing learning goals and success criteria, teachers are allowing student voice
to be an integral part of the learning environment. Students who actively take part in these types of activities not only feel that they are empowered partners in learning but they also develop a clearer understanding of what is expected and what quality work looks like. Allowing students’ voices is one important way that teachers can demonstrate that they are committed to being “an agent of change” (Fullan, 1993). The mindset of engaging students as partners in their learning is a huge departure from classrooms of the past.
C.D
References:
Fullan, G. M. (1993). Why Teachers Must Become Change Agents, March, 50(6), 12-17.
Thomson, P. (2010). Involving Children and Young People in Educational Change: Possibilities
and Challenges,(pp.809-824) doi:10.1007/978-90-481-2660-6_45