Are we giving our
students enough time to think about what they are learning or are we pushing
them through the lessons to just get to the next? Nanetter Fondas (2014)
explains that "learning is more effective if a lesson or experience is deliberately
coupled with time spent thinking about what was just presented." Students
need time to think about their lessons, to write a reflection or verbalize it
to a peer. This process gives the students time to think about how they
finished the lesson and discover if there may have been a better way. Giving
students time to reflect gets them thinking about other possibilities for the
idea or concept. Is there an easier way I could have done that? "In a lab
portion of the study, participants completed a math brain teaser under time pressure
and wrote about what strategy they used or might use in the futures to solve
the problem. This group did 18 percent better in a second-round test than their
control group counterparts, who were not given time to reflect" (Fondas, 2014).
We try to remember as teachers that if you let students have time to explore, teach others, and reflect on what they are doing then they start to think about concepts in a different way. they start to come up with more creative ways of doing lessons. We give them confidence in what they are doing. The reflection lets them feel like there is some control in their education and they can change the way that they are learning.
This is not a new concept but it is something that needs to be reiterated once and a well. Teachers get stuck in their routines and with how we are being told what to teach and when to teach it, we forget to take the time with the students to think about what we are learning. Instead of cramming everything into the students' brains, we need to have time to think about what we are learning and reflect.
We try to remember as teachers that if you let students have time to explore, teach others, and reflect on what they are doing then they start to think about concepts in a different way. they start to come up with more creative ways of doing lessons. We give them confidence in what they are doing. The reflection lets them feel like there is some control in their education and they can change the way that they are learning.
This is not a new concept but it is something that needs to be reiterated once and a well. Teachers get stuck in their routines and with how we are being told what to teach and when to teach it, we forget to take the time with the students to think about what we are learning. Instead of cramming everything into the students' brains, we need to have time to think about what we are learning and reflect.
Fondas, N. (2014, May 15). Study: You Really Can 'Work Smarter, Not Harder.' Retrieved from http://www.theatlantic.com/education/archive/2014/05/study-you-really-can-work-smarter-not-harder/370819/
Yes, Betsy, I agree. At times, we feel overwhelmed by the amount of material that needs to be taught to our students in a limited amount of time. This leaves us with little time for students to reflect, explore and share with others. Your post reminds us how important this is. Students need this time to allow what they have learned sink in. As they reflect, rethink and reiterate, they gain deeper understanding. We need to value this and allow time for it.
ReplyDeleteI have often struggled with this dilemma. In one district I taught in, the math schedule was very tight so all classes would be ready to take the common assessment at the same time. There was no room to reteach a lesson or to give students the time to reflect which as you stated is so important.
ReplyDeleteThis also applies to the adult learner. In my particular situation, I have seven days to present my material. During our ISD process for my course, we set the allotted time for each lesson, but there are times when "that" time is just not enough. I, fortunately, have the ability to extend my work day to accommodate extra discussion, but in the K-12, you do not have the luxury.
ReplyDeleteI am thinking out loud here, but would a flipped classroom work to assist with time. The students could review an online 5-10 minute presentation of the subject and come to class prepared to get down and dirty. Granted, all of the students would have to have access to the internet (and that brings up a whole new issue). Sometimes, I am glad I am working where I work.