Is my classroom challenging... in a good way?
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This is Part VI in a series on Teaching the Whole Child. Read the previous issue (Do my students have the supports they need to succeed?) here.
The last of the 5 elements of "whole child education" in the ASCD's whole child campaign is CHALLENGED. While virtually every teacher challenges students to learn, what that "challenge" looks like is very different depending on the school, the class, the students, and even the teacher's approach to the term.
Faced with a class full of students well below grade level in reading, writing, and math we go about filling the gap in different ways. Some of them are inspired. These days a lot of them are drill and kill.
The quest for "on grade level" has come to mean learning to read and write and calculate in the context of the subjects clearly associated with these skills. An unexpected consequence of this laser-like focus is a decrease nationwide in the amount of time spent teaching science and social studies and an increase in time dedicated to math and English. There is this notion that science and social studies, like "the arts," are nice extras in school but contribute little to core academics. In fact, growing research shows just the opposite to be true.
Every student should be empowered to meet the challenge of proficiency in reading, writing, and math. But in many instances we're not applying what we know from brain research in our efforts to make learning in these arenas stick. If we set the challenge only at "reaching grade level" and not at "thinking critically" or "solving real-world problems" or "applying knowledge creatively in new contexts" - aren't we really setting the bar kind of low?
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Research and Resources
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Teachers shouldn't have to choose between nurturing imagination and inquiry, or achieving academic growth. In an intellectually challenging classroom, lessons can accomplish both. Writing can be taught through drama, math can be taught through science, reading can be taught through history, and so on. Students learn best from a curriculum that is rich, relevant, and rigorous - luckily there are countless ways to bring such a curriculum to life. Here are just a few:
Constructivist Theory - Why some people think all learning should be experiential.
Arts in Education - A very thorough resource for research and ideas supporting the importance of the arts in education.
Integrating Science Across the Curriculum - Though this site deals specifically with after-school teaching, the lesson plans and explanations for different instructional approaches seem relevant for learning across the board.
Connecting Math to Social Studies - several links to interesting lesson ideas and online teaching tools.
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Inspired Teacher Blog: CHALLENGING STUDENTS
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School was a challenge for my brother.
Reports cards often included statements like:
"behavior remains a problem for Andrew"
"it is a challenge for him to sit still"
"he is working on keeping his hands to himself and not talking so much"
"he struggles to stay focused on the task at hand"
Perhaps it is more accurate to say my brother was a challenge for his schools.
This is because my little brother is brilliant. Throughout school he was almost always bored...
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