Thinking back to my first year of teaching, I was extremely cautious with what I tried in the classroom. I would spend hours putting together a precise powerpoint that would help ensure the lesson went smooth. I was also hesitant to try new things or sway away from the curriculum. I've learned over the years that taking risks in the classroom is important to keep the class exciting and engaging for the students.
Here are a few ideas of some risks teachers can take:
1) Let Students Decide: I just started a unit on ecology and I'm giving my students some freedom in their research project. They're allowed to research any topic they desire as long as they are meeting some points from the Ontario curriculum. This is one example of letting students decide but other examples are by giving students choice in how they are assessed, learning experiences that will take place, and how projects can be arranged.
2) Flexible Learning Spaces: Learning doesn't always have to take place within the classroom walls. Planned or randomly, allow your students to take the day off from the classroom and have them complete the required readings, watch a video, or collaborate with their groups in a place of their choice.
3) Student Teaching: My school has shortened days on Friday, we are finished by noon. What I often do is have my students teach a concept to the class on Fridays. They create an activity or lesson plan that they think will be engaging for the class. The neat thing is, I end up learning some exciting teaching approaches from this as well!
The list is small but there are many other ways that teachers can take risks in the classroom. What I believe is that when teachers take risks the students can learn from us about taking risks in life.
Dave
Love the fact you are taking risks. I had a vice principal who once told me that as teachers, we need to "create the illusion of risk while maintaining complete control over the situation". His point was that students need to feel they are in the power position but the teacher must ensure every aspect is safe. Of course this was in regard to Outdoor trips but I think we could apply the same philosophy in our classrooms?
ReplyDeleteI think your approach is perfect and the students will become better learners for it!
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ReplyDeleteHi Dave,
ReplyDeleteRobert Nemcko wrote an article on leaving the comfort zone which connects really well with this one. Thanks for the ideas on for risk taking in education! I also believe it's extremely beneficial to try new things. Students feed off of the excitement that teachers demonstrate when they're excited about trying something new. By taking risks and trying news things you can increase student engagement. I've also done student teaching and my previous students have loved it