This blog post originally appeared in Edutopia's Community Discussions.
At the risk of ostracizing any colleagues currently struggling with flat-discussion classrooms -- trust me, I’ve been there, too -- I’d like to admit that D108 is anything but quiet this year. My advanced seniors, in particular, can fill entire periods with their own excited voices. They discuss the craftsmanship of author style, the implications of context on content, and the ambiguities of our current texts (as well as Harambe, the gorilla -- he oddly comes up in conversation often, too). My co-teacher of the course and I work hard -- with socratic seminars, philosopher’s chairs, interpretation circles, and countless back-channels (to name a few approaches) -- to create such student-led, discussion-heavy rooms. The students become wonderfully confident and expertly articulate speakers, and I smile proudly when enveloped by their booming voices during our class- and group- discussions. Recently, though, these students’ self-reflections after a practice oral exam offered a perspective that reminds me that, especially in education, there is always room for growth. One reflection spoke of the student beginning to respond before realizing what a prompt even asked. Another student noted her “head couldn’t keep up with her mouth” in her recording. Throughout the reflections, the same voices clamouring for turns to talk in class told me: we can speak well, but we could listen better. Deep listening is a technique beautifully rooted in American traditions like the Quaker faith and various Native tribes. (It does not, perhaps, show itself well in Presidential debates or Congressional hearings.) At its core, deep listening entails listening over hearing and connecting over responding. In relationships, deep listening means acknowledging others’ emotions so they feel heard. In careers, deep listening means developing productive, honest communication by listening to understand, not merely to reply. In my classroom, deep listening can mean students better know each other’s ideas and therefore better know our studies. It can mean a more inclusive atmosphere where all voices feel respected and where moments of silence are welcome. Here are five activities I plan to implement in my own classroom -- that any teacher of any discipline can use -- in order to promote deeper listening in our academic discussions:
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This blog post also appeared in the IB Community Blog high-lighting student success in the Diploma Programme.
1. What is one of your favorite technology tools to use in the classroom? Why? AMY RICHARDS: Padlet is a great, quick board for posting student-generated research, responses, and anything really. Get Coffee works nicely for group discussions; students can propose questions and the questions can be then inputted into the generator quickly. I especially like Get Coffee as a means to practice the on-the-spot, effective responses needed for the IB English HLD. VICKI QUINN: One of my favorite tools is a simple one: Google Drive. I ask students to use Google Docs to work with students on the process with writing and on the collaboration of ideas. For example, I can assign a presentation-based project where students collect, organize, and then present information in a collaborative Google Presentation file or I can assign a passage typed up in a Google Document and ask individuals in the classroom to collectively annotate it at the same time. 2. How has the increased use of technology encouraged inquiry-based learning for your students? AMY RICHARDS: Technology offers extra avenues for students to generate ideas, both individually and collectively. Our classrooms, then, consist of student voices sharing, questioning, and building upon these shared thoughts. My voice, at least when directed to the entire class, is heard much less these days. Most days the technology on which students gathered ideas is up -- both on individual Macbook screens as well as on the classroom whiteboard -- and students are discussing with and adding to one another’s inquiries. VICKI QUINN: Our society is moving towards a demand of innovation and the 5Cs (Communication, Collaboration, Citizenship, Creativity, Critical Thinking). Our IB classroom existed in that sphere already, but access to technology has encouraged our use of inquiry-based learning for our students because now we can ask students to communicate in digital educational blogs where they share their creativity, we can ask students to practice “net-etiquette” and ability to be digital citizens in forums about literature, we can deliver flipped instruction via podcasts, streaming video, and internet-based presentations, we engage them through problem-solving activities and projects using various Web 2.0 tools, and we can foster a community of learners who value and want to improve fundamental skills of reading and writing. 3. What's the biggest challenge in increasing technology usage in the classroom? AMY RICHARDS: At the start, it was tempting to find new technology tools while excitedly wondering: “how can these be included in students’ learning?” Now, we develop the learning experience first and then search for technology to potentially assist. The challenge at first was to remember that technology is a tool with which to learn; it should not the central focus. Currently, the challenge is to find technology that functions like we want it to. For instance, I recently wanted a platform on which students could easily annotate a poetic text heavy in imagery with their own ideas, images, and audio. I struggled to find the right tech. Ultimately, I used Genuis’ Embed feature on a webpage I created. VICKI QUINN: It is challenging to keep up with technology and the best practices use of it in the classroom. It is challenging to keep students interested in a digital learning experience when there are so many technology-based distractors for them in the same platform. What I have learned is that using technology effectively in the classroom is dependent on facilitators who can inspire and motivate learners in a purposeful and guided digital experience. Incorporating technology depends upon the development of engaging material and then the opportunity for students to explore, create, communicate, collaborate, and think in web-based classroom environments. As someone who has tried to implement a blended classroom experience for my students, I have learned an essential component of E-learning: it still requires the art of teaching. |
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