Inquiring Minds Want to Know

Why? - That is the question that students are always asking and that we are always trying to answer.

Traditionally, students sat in desks and listened to a lecture.  As technology has progressed, our teaching has remained relatively similar.  Due to regulations on what needs to be taught, timelines on when content should be taught, and the pressure to achieve accreditation, many teachers have been stuck between a rock and a hard place.

Traditional Teaching: YouTube

How can we make learning more engaging for students and still meet all of the stipulations placed upon us?

The answer is voice and choice.  By allowing students to take ownership of their own learning, they are more engaged and the experience becomes authentic. I'm not saying throw standards out of the window and doodle on paper all day. NO! Teachers need to create quality lessons that allow for students to inject their own experiences, interests, and goals into what is being done. 


This year, I had a student who liked LOVED sharks.  Jaws, Jaws 2, the Titanic, Sharknado (all of them), and Megalodons were all parts of our daily conversations.   When it came time to explore life cycles and animal habitats, the student of course chose to look at sharks.  I provided the checkpoints and we made learning goals clear, but in this instance limiting this boy to a butterfly or frog lifecycle would have been a disservice to him.  Did I encourage him to look into other animals? Yes, and he did by integrating a shark's food chain.  After setting expectations and listening to what the students wanted, we began.  We started with articles that I provided and then students took ownership of researching their animal and putting together a presentation.


The point is, by letting our young learner choose what interests them, we stand a better chance of them remembering their learning.  By asking them to present their findings to classmates, we can assess that they understand information and expose other students to that as well.


In today's world, there are many opportunities for student voice and choice.  We must also acknowledge that some things have to be done or need to be done in a certain way.  Letting students choose to complete their final exam is not an option.  Letting students express what groups they want to work in is perfectly fine.


Changing our way of thinking can be hard.   Try looking at Edutopia's articles, "Voice and Choice: More than What" or "5 Ways to Give Students Voice & Choice."  Be informed and be confident!

Next, I'll share how students (and teachers) can use technology and other resources to express their voices & choices.