Do Learners "Outgrow" Activity and Interaction?

You will certainly learn a lot about me in this first post. One thing you may pick up is that I am not  overly "politically correct." I feel free to comment on observations I make and call it like I see it. I have a casual writing style and hope to prod some people into commenting in return. Please know that nothing I write is intended to paint with a broad brush or classify any particular type of educator. I am merely commenting on my own experiences. I am bound to make some people quite happy and some people angry. That is fine! We are educators and should frequently engage in discussion about the education of our nations future. I look forward to taking this journey with you!

Why This Topic Comes Now

Last weekend, I facilitated a workshop for 40 childcare specialists. They all worked with small children in some fashion, ranging from birth to 7 years old. The intent of the workshop was to help these educators understand a little more about how the brain processes information, even at such an early age. This information was made quite practical in the workshop by providing information on how to communicate more effectively, give clearer directions, get increased compliance, and much more. This was a fascinating exchange and also made me think about my wife who has taught elementary school for several years.

The Light Bulb Moment

Looking at these two groups (childcare age and elementary age) made me come across an inquisitive thought. I compared the way these groups of children interacted with my experiences as a high school educator and saw stark contrasts. I know lower and secondary classrooms should not look exactly the same, but should they be SO different?

Distinct Differences

(Disclaimer for those of you who may live in a world where none of this is true...this is how I see it quite often, but there are,of course, exceptions so go along with me, O.K.?) Let's highlight some distinct differences I have observed:

Younger Classrooms:

• Students tend to move around a lot
• There is a lot of student interactivity
• There is "play" of some sort
• Learning segments are brief
• There is definite compassion for differences in students
• There is often student "choice" available

Older Classrooms:

• Students tend to sit a lot
• Students spend a majority of their time listening or processing
• Most time is spent on "important" tasks
• Learning segments are longer and students appear to have trouble (sometimes) paying attention
• There often seems to be structure to the point of regimented singularity
• The teacher is most often in charge of "what, when, how, and why"

What Can We Learn?

I am not saying that these differences are universal or all negative (In other words, don't email me that you disagree with this premise! I have observed these differences and am simply commenting on them.) I would contend, however, that we could learn something from the very brief lists above.
Do the needs of a human brain change SO much through age that an appropriate and effective learning environment needs to be so radically different? It is my contention that such a drastic change is not appropriate for most learners. In order to truly learn, a brain of any age needs:

• Frequent social interaction to make real meaning of the content
• Some choice in direction or activity in order to stay motivated
• At least a small amount of movement to increase oxygen levels in the brain
• Some level of "fun" to help students form and leave with a positive perspective
• Learning segments that are limited to 10-20 minutes in length to allow for proper processing and storage
• Some customization so students can have content and presentation adapted to their learning style

Why Don't Most Classrooms Do This Already?

There are many factors that make this "vision" of a  classroom more difficult than it would first seem. Some of the common reasons given are:

• I have "important" content
• I need to "cover" a lot of material
• I just don't have time
• I need to get students ready for college
• My colleagues/administration are focused on "Time on Task"
• There is too much political pressure to become "radical"

These are certainly valid concerns! Let me address them (how I see them as a High School educator myself):

• All levels of education have important content! There is no content that is more important than making sure students are grasping the content that IS delivered.
• "Cover" is an interesting term heard in many schools. Just because material is "covered" does not mean anyone learned anything. "Covering" material is an overused myth in my opinion.
• You have time for anything for which you make time. Are you saying you don't have time to actually teach? The learning process must come before the content or anything that is said about the content will be lost.
• Many people will agree that college courses are not set up how the brain actually learns and retains information. This is evident in how much studying must take place outside of the classroom. Students need to make up for the lack of actual teaching in many college courses (I know...some are excellent!). If you know this is true, why would you subject students to it earlier than absolutely necessary?
• "Time on Task" is one of the most dangerous terms in any school. This has become misunderstood over time to mean that every minute must relate to a benchmark of some sort. The phrase should refer to effective learning tasks. In every effective class period, there must be time to participate in tasks that help students socially interact, reset their brain for a new discussion, decompress after a difficult concept. These tasks are indeed important and necessary. Just be ready to defend your duty to reset the brains of students and prepare them for proper processing and storage of your important content.

What Do YOU Think?

Easier said than done, I know. We are, however, members of the most important profession in this society and must continue to grow and evolve as our body of knowledge expands. I am looking forward to reading your comments concerning this post! Feel free to comment on what you observe and think about this critical issue related to the teaching of all students.

Sincerely,