How to Create High-Quality Learning Experiences

"High-quality learning experiences for any age learner need to be authentic, continuous, intreactive, inclusive, and learner-centered as well as relevant and owned by the learner."
-Gene Chasin, Director
Acceleraed Schools PLUS

This past semester in one of my graduate courses entitled "Technology and Educational Change", we had a guest speaker who talked to us about Accelerated Schools. She handed out some literature for us to read. I finally got around to reading some of the material and one concept that really stood out to me was the idea of Powerful Questioning that was discussed by Carol Ann Tomlinson:

"The great teacher in not one who "covers" or who "tells" or even who "entertains." The great teacher asks learners to breathe life into content by engaging with it personally, critically, and imaginatively. In other words, the great teacher is a a great question asker,... one who shows students how to think and that they can think... Asking the right question is an art. It takes practice, planning, and persistence."

Utilizing questioning techniques that are appropriate and challenging for students is critical to keeping them engaged. Different students require different levels of questions. For some students participation on even the most basic level is a step in the right direction, but other students desire and crave more critical thinking type questions which require the most of students and the goal, of course, is to build the confidence in all students to answer those types of questions. One thing, I've discovered that is really important is random questioning and not just calling on the students who raise their hand, but trying to call on students regularly so they know you may call on them. Some students also require more time to answer questions. They have to get through the initial deer in front of a headlight feeling that some experience when they get called on in a whole class setting.

Comic Relief for the Winter Blues

Chip Mosher, a self described "simple classroom teacher" who also writes articles for City Life, wrote a hilarious article entitled "Logo Mania" about the search for a new logo for the Clark County School District whose logo has been for the last 50 years- "lamp of learning".
Here are a few of his suggestions:

• A lynched teacher dangling from a barren tree. The school district historically has denied teachers both their civil and human rights. Tyrannical principals, a brutal grievance system and a justice delayed, justice-denied arbitration process have all served to fill our schools with a gang-banged chain-gang of depressed educators. No wonder teacher morale is so low it has to jump up just to touch bottom.
• The face of former Superintendent Carlos Garcia with the international red slash drawn across it, bearing the words, "No more idiots!"
• An old lady sitting in front of a slot machine, a beer in one hand and a cigarette dangling from her lips. Slogan: "Preparing children for their future"
• A picture of the Titanic sinking. No caption necessary.
• Two missionaries on bicycles in front of the "Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas" sign. The motto being, "We will pedal your schools into the ground in order to serve our masters in the gaming industry.

On a more positive note, I got 10 computers in my classroom. The potential of what I can do with them has got me very excited! I'm not expecting that they will be up and running until semester with everything on them, but after this year I believe my job is going to be really enjoyable. I am so very fortunate to have such a great situation where I really get to be creative, innovative and help my students. That is what teaching is supposed to be about. But I would not want to be the average teacher in this district, especially at the high school level with 35-40 students per class. Then it becomes crowd control and babysitting, not education.

Rhythm of the Year

There is definitely a rhythm to the school year. The beginning of the year is hectic and exciting as you try to figure out and train students who for the most part try to do what you ask them to do. By the end of October, you've generally got your routine down and the kids know what they are supposed to do, but everbody's starting to get tired. After Thanksgiving, it's downhill until January. Everybody's exhausted--teachers and students alike...the newness of it all has worn off, motivation wanes and the winter darkness and cold weather puts a damper on everything...I could go on but I want to wait till the rest of the year comes to characterize it. But one last comment, I think part of being an effective educator is being able to anticipate the rhythm of each season and plan accordingly...maybe the same could be said for life in general as well.