Engaging Adolescent Learners: A Guide for Content-Area Teachers (#2)
““Transforming information to understanding requires engagement on the part of the learner. Without engagement, learning becomes a series of dance steps that never find the rhythm””
Just as Kelly Gallagher had sat in the bleachers teaching his daughters the game of baseball, we often times believe that throwing information out to our learners will stick with them. I have seen this ideal in new teachers and in veteran teachers, where we have all of this knowledge we want to exude unto our learners because we are passionate in our expert areas. Yet, not all of our learners are. We need them to be immersed and engage (verb!) with what they are learning. Experiences help them gain understanding, prior knowledge to reflect on, and hopefully empathy to apply to multiple facets of their lives.
There are a multitude of tools we can have our learners use to engage with what they are learning. The 21st century has brought incredible opportunities to create and innovate in differentiated ways. However, educators need to be advantageous in that regard and allow for their learners to have the freedom of immersing themselves into what they are learning.
““Not surprisingly, learners are more likely to engage deeply with demonstrations if they believe that they are capable of ultimately doing whatever is being demonstrated. Furthermore, they must believe that the demonstration has some potential value, purpose, and use for them in an atmosphere free from anxiety””
Capability and relevancy are two words that come to mind upon reading this quote. There are so many tangents I could go on with this. The beginning of every year, I begin talking with my learners about their brains, about confidence, about growth mindset and grit. These concepts help set a culture that we will focus on nurturing for the entire year in our classroom. Learners, no matter what age, need to know they are capable beings. Along with these capabilities, they also must know what relevance these abilities will have in their lives. This is where the craft of teaching comes into play.
As an example, I will use my basketball athletes. We work on plyometrics and jumping abilities. We work on core work and foot speed. All of these abilities will serve different purposes for my athletes. Some will use their foot speed for defensive purposes because they usually play defense against the fastest opponent on the court. Some of my taller players will use their jumping abilities we practiced to block shots or dunk the basketball (maybe). Regardless of what they are using these abilities for, they serve a purpose to the position they are in. However, in order to build the belief of capability and confidence in my athletes, I cannot tell them to take the basketball and dunk it. They do not have the skills yet, nor do they have the belief yet. This is setting them up for failure before we even began.
In a classroom, I cannot tell my learners that we will be writing a 5 page essay with a thesis statement based on a controversial topic of their choice when they are not equipped with knowing how to formulate or organize an essay, how to build a thesis statement, nor where to begin with a topic. Rather, we must entice our learners with the possibilities of the capabilities they hold once they acquire these skills. They must believe it is attainable and meaningful to their lives.
““Not all students will be interested in every topic, of course, but creating the expectation for extended learning and fostering a climate of immersion will enhance all lessons, as well as providing students the opportunity to utilize their various learning styles. In a climate of immersion, students discover that learning is as natural as paying attention to what is all around them””
Learning as a skill is something I hold dearly to my heart and belief as an educator. Early in the year, I had a meaningful discussion with my learners about learning. About why we learn, how we learn, what place learning has in our lives, how do we stay motivated to learn, etc. Nearly 100% of my learners found that learning was the most important process and skill of your life, and without it you would become stagnant and have an unfulfilled life of mediocrity. These 8th Graders decided that curiosity and survival are the main components that fuels the desire to learn. So, in knowing this, I have once again evolved my teachings. How meaningful, yet daunting it is to hear my learners want to be curious and learn skills that are vital to them surviving an intellectual life! It has been an incredible journey this year viewing every skill and strategy we practice and every new understanding about life we uncover somehow relevant to our world and present and future lives.
Lent, R.C. (2006). Engaging adolescent learners: A guide for content-area teachers. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann.