Monday 4 April 2016

Learner buy in

I have been reflecting a lot lately about how to cause buy in from my learners. Too often, already, I have had learners saying "I'm bored".

My reaction: NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOooooooo.......



When I hear this I know I have been unsuccessful as a teacher. I have lost authenticity, I have lost engagement and I have lost the opportunity for learning. Of course I know it is not this dramatic, I can get it back, but for me it was a shrill alarm bell, a definite cause for concern! It was a moment of realisation: I was not teaching to how they best learn. So I have made some immediate changes. Now, when planning, I am being sure to plan for some type of movement linked to the learning; not separate fitness or brain breaks, although they are good too, but actual movement that consolidates or compliments, the learning.

In considering different perspectives during literacy, we used freeze-frames where the teacher comes along and taps the shoulder of a particular character, and the character then shares their thoughts and feelings etc. 

Not an "I'm bored" to be heard.

Planning for movement, and engagement, has required more thought on my part, but not much more. I know that the more I plan for interactive and engaging learning, the more I can draw and build on these ideas for learning activities. 




2 comments:

Unknown said...

This is an amazing reflection Latai, and it is difficult to admit to ourselves something is not working. From an HPE perspective I am so pleased to read how you are trying to incorporate movement into your classroom without labelling it 'fitness'. It is important for us to remember the mind and the body are one, they complement one another thus cannot be separated. Look forward to seeing more examples of how you do this!

Anonymous said...

I agree with Georgia wholeheartedly on this post Latai - I am really interested to discuss with you how you do plan for this and what the uplift has been from this intervention! I think Anita is doing something similar in Hub 7 where she is linking movement with their learners writing so would be great to get some insight on how that is going too!