Before reading Grant Wiggins personal tale of spending two full days back in highschool I could have predicted exactly what he was going to say. I think most teachers could have. The thing is, we forget; and that is why it is so important that he wrote this article, because we all need that reminder sometimes. It doesn't matter if you teach elementary aged students or high school, the message speaks clearly to all educators. Wiggins uses the example of attending a long conference or spending a full day in meetings to remind teachers how tiring it is to sit all day. It is both physically and mentally exhausting. I recently took the GRE when I was applying to grad school and I told my fiance so many times "wow learning all day is really hard work". It's not just the sitting, but the sitting quietly, not interacting with others, and trying to soak up so much new information that is so draining. Even when we have a long faculty meeting, I stare at the clock and think of my wiggly students who sit on yoga balls rather than a regular desk chair because it is so uncomfortable to be seated for extended periods of time. I remember when I was student teaching and my supervisor told me over and over again that my lessons were too long for second graders and that they needed to be moving about every 20 minutes. It was hard for me. Like Wiggins, and like many teachers, we have a lot to say! It's hard to get a whole lesson in so quickly, but he was right. Students will soak up more information if the lesson is short and concise. I teach older kids now but I always try to remember that and use it as a my rule of thumb.
When I first started at my new school the first thing I purchased for my classroom was a big rug. The other teachers thought that it was strange that I would have 10 year olds come sit on the rug for a quick grammar lesson or for read aloud time. "They are more comfortable at their desks" I remember them telling me. But in the back of my mind I always had in my head that they needed to be moving and utilizing different areas of the classroom and it is important that they get out of their seats even if it is for a 15 minute grammar lesson on the rug. I loved some of the suggestions that Wiggins offered. I especially liked the idea of starting and ending the class period with some time of movement and having a stretch break in the middle. Especially for longer classes/lessons. I also really liked the idea of using a timer for the teacher. Students should not be spending the majority of their day being talked at. "They should be doing most of the heavy lifting" my master teacher would tell me.
The other really big take away I had from this article was tone of voice. We all know that working with kids all day is not easy. As teachers we all lose our patience from time to time but the students don't deserve to be talked to with a bad attitude. Especially at the elementary age, students don't necessarily understand sarcasm, and they may internalize the words that teachers say to them. I liked the example Wiggins used when referring to answering questions. Yes, it is frustrating to give the directions 5 times; but isn't it our job to teach them? Questions are a great way to connect to the students and if we shut down their questions they may never ask them again. "We can open the door wider or shut if forever, and we may not even realize we have shut it." This quote really spoke to me.
Although we won't all get the opportunity to shadow our students for a day, this article served as a beautiful reminder of why we went to teaching in the first place: to educate youth. We owe it to them to do the best job that we can. When setting my goals for this upcoming school year I am going to remember Grant Wiggins and think about how I structure my day, how I speak to my students, and the types of activities and lessons that I will plan for them. My hope is that they will be excited and engaged in their learning rather than lethargic and unfocused.
https://grantwiggins.wordpress.com/2014/10/10/a-veteran-teacher-turned-coach-shadows-2-students-for-2-days-a-sobering-lesson-learned/
Wiggins, G. (2014, October 10). A veteran teacher turned coach shadows 2 students for 2 days - a sobering lesson learned. Retrieved from https://grantwiggins.wordpress.com/2014/10/10/a-veteran-teacher-turned-coach-shadows-2-students-for-2-days-a-sobering-lesson-learned/
When I first started at my new school the first thing I purchased for my classroom was a big rug. The other teachers thought that it was strange that I would have 10 year olds come sit on the rug for a quick grammar lesson or for read aloud time. "They are more comfortable at their desks" I remember them telling me. But in the back of my mind I always had in my head that they needed to be moving and utilizing different areas of the classroom and it is important that they get out of their seats even if it is for a 15 minute grammar lesson on the rug. I loved some of the suggestions that Wiggins offered. I especially liked the idea of starting and ending the class period with some time of movement and having a stretch break in the middle. Especially for longer classes/lessons. I also really liked the idea of using a timer for the teacher. Students should not be spending the majority of their day being talked at. "They should be doing most of the heavy lifting" my master teacher would tell me.
The other really big take away I had from this article was tone of voice. We all know that working with kids all day is not easy. As teachers we all lose our patience from time to time but the students don't deserve to be talked to with a bad attitude. Especially at the elementary age, students don't necessarily understand sarcasm, and they may internalize the words that teachers say to them. I liked the example Wiggins used when referring to answering questions. Yes, it is frustrating to give the directions 5 times; but isn't it our job to teach them? Questions are a great way to connect to the students and if we shut down their questions they may never ask them again. "We can open the door wider or shut if forever, and we may not even realize we have shut it." This quote really spoke to me.
Although we won't all get the opportunity to shadow our students for a day, this article served as a beautiful reminder of why we went to teaching in the first place: to educate youth. We owe it to them to do the best job that we can. When setting my goals for this upcoming school year I am going to remember Grant Wiggins and think about how I structure my day, how I speak to my students, and the types of activities and lessons that I will plan for them. My hope is that they will be excited and engaged in their learning rather than lethargic and unfocused.
https://grantwiggins.wordpress.com/2014/10/10/a-veteran-teacher-turned-coach-shadows-2-students-for-2-days-a-sobering-lesson-learned/
Wiggins, G. (2014, October 10). A veteran teacher turned coach shadows 2 students for 2 days - a sobering lesson learned. Retrieved from https://grantwiggins.wordpress.com/2014/10/10/a-veteran-teacher-turned-coach-shadows-2-students-for-2-days-a-sobering-lesson-learned/