Take the wheel

I used a metaphor today in my classes that I hope my students take to heart. I told them that I wanted them to take the wheel and drive the car we call our class. They looked at me the same way they might look at me if I had forgotten to put on my shirt this morning. I had a few brave souls speak out and take control but most were content to sit back and wait for something important to write down.

I am going to post my goal for this year here for all to see, especially Mr. Meister who I hope will hold me to it. This year, I am going to empower my students with a much more engaging atmosphere that will inspire them to take control and get more out of their eductation than just listening to me teach.

I will admit that this scares me just a little. For as new as I still am to this teaching "gig," I am still well enough into it to have become comfortable with the idea that I am to teach(stand in front of a room and lecture and then give homework)my classes from bell-to-bell. However, teaching can come in many forms, and one of those forms this year in room 23 will be me allowing my students to guide their own learning. In my junior literature classes this semester I am going to attempt a centers-based approach. Will it work? I don't know, but what I do know is that it won't if I don't attempt it. Will it create much more work for me? Absolutely, but I know that creating several different activities for a class period will feel much more rewarding than having only a handful engaged in classroom discussion while the rest sit in the shadows and allow education to happen to them.

It is time for change, and I look forward with a little bit of apprehension but with a lot of excitement to watch how it all works. I envision organized chaos. I hope Mr. Meister is up for much movement in the classroom over his head!