On February
23rd, several school and
division administrators participated in the Shadow
a Student Challenge. This nationwide
program is designed to encourage administrators to immerse themselves in elementary,
middle, and high school classrooms to truly
see “school” through the eyes of students. I spent my day at Stonewall Jackson Middle School
shadowing an 8th-grade student.
Being around 8th-grade students was certainly not a new experience for me. I taught 8th graders for many
years, and my son is presently an 8th
grader, so having 13 and 14 year-olds in our home is commonplace. Yet, prior to this experience, I can’t honestly say that
I had ever put myself in the shoes of a student for a full day since I was a
student many years ago. I found the
experience to be fascinating, as well as a good reminder that being a student
can be stressful.
I saw some
truly fantastic students, educators, and staff, and I enjoyed my time
immensely. The memories of trying to get
to a locker before the bell rang, getting through the lunch line, and even
getting “out” in a kickball game came back to me quickly. It was more than that though. Hearing student conversations, understanding
what responsibilities they had at home, learning about the pressure of multiple
assessments, and simply staying fully engaged for 7 ½ hours (even with rich instruction)
helped me to see them more authentically.
After the day was over, all administrators who participated gathered at
the School Board Office to debrief and share our experiences. A new appreciation for our students and
teachers alike was the predominant theme.
This
activity served to augment the various and deliberate ways that we solicit
input directly from our students. We
have expanded student advisory group meetings.
We have purposely added students to division committees when studying a
new concept or possible policy changes.
Additionally, professional development opportunities include stressing
student “voice and choice.” What I have
learned through all of this is that our students have a lot to say, and their
advice is often wise beyond their years.
I have
learned that our students crave hands-on experiences. They crave
knowing how new skills can be transferable and used in multiple settings. They crave
being asked their opinion on matters as opposed to only being told about
someone else’s opinion. They crave having input into how they learn, how they are
assessed, and how they can demonstrate mastery. They may not use this exact terminology all
of the time, but I have also been surprised to learn that many times they do.
As I reflect,
I often think of my days as an 8th-grade teacher. I ask myself, “How many times did I ask a
student how they learned best as opposed to how I am most comfortable teaching?” I ask, “How many times did I give students a choice
in how they demonstrated mastery?” And,
finally, “How many times did I ask for candid feedback on how I was doing with
imparting the information that they needed to be successful?”
The honest
answer to all of these questions is—not enough!
The inconvenient truth is that sometimes the way that students best
learn and the techniques that may lead to more engagement may be at odds with
the methods that make us (as adults and educators) the most comfortable. Further complicating things is the fact that
no single teaching style works best for all students. As with any new endeavor though, it is
possible to start small.
For
instance, using a learning styles inventory at the beginning of the year,
offering multiple options for a class project that allow for more choice, or
simply becoming more attuned to how many questions we ask versus how many
questions we allow students to ask.
These are just a few simple ways to begin the journey into increased
voice and choice for students. As with
anything new, letting go of the reigns a bit and changing direction may be
difficult at first. However, this shift becomes
increasingly more comfortable with repetition and often results in students who
appreciate the academic freedom extended to them. Accordingly, this yields increased engagement,
learning, and retention.
The Shadow a Student Challenge was truly an eye-opening
experience for me. I was reminded of how
quickly we can forget what it is like to be a modern day student. I learned that similar to adults, students
want to be heard, respected, and have some degree of input into the direction
of their day and lives. They also appear
to want adults to take the time to appreciate the many challenges in their
lives that may look very different than when we attended school. By doing this and seeing the world through
their eyes, we can strengthen relationships and achieve greater academic growth.
