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Struggling to Get Students to Ask Questions? Try These Strategies

There are many reasons why we want and need students to ask questions. The questions students ask can tell us whether they understand what they are learning and are ready to move forward, or they can communicate uncertainty, confusion, and misconceptions. Students’ questions can signal interest in going deeper and exploring further. Questions can reveal worry and stress or excitement and confidence. The questions students ask can also be evidence of disengagement and resistance when they are off topic or laced with anger and cynicism. However, access to the full range of student questions requires us to create conditions under which students are willing and able to tell us what we need to know. Students need to be confident that we are ready listen. They need to feel respect for their thoughts, opinions, and concerns. Students need to experience our patience when their questions reveal the need for more guidance and support. Of course, they also need to feel safe and free from emotional attack. Still, establishing these conditions only “opens the door” to questions. It does not guarantee that students will freely respond when we need to know if they understand. Students may still be reluctant to admit confusion or lack of understanding, and they may be hesitant to share worries and stress without support and prompting. Unless we invite students to share their interests and go deeper with their learning, they may be hesitant to ask a question that reveals a perspective that is not shared by others in the class or group. Success typically requires us to provide the stimulus and process for questions to surface and be voiced. Let’s explore some ways in which we can gain access to students’ questions while “sidestepping” many potential barriers. One way to “prime the pump” for questions is to ask students to write a question they have. As examples, we might ask students to frame a question that demonstrates what they have learned today. We might ask them to write a question about something they are finding difficult about what they are learning. Or, we might ask them to write a question about what else they would like to learn on a current topic. Another option is to provide students with sentence stems and starters that are formed as questions. Examples might be “I wonder why…?” “How can I concentrate when…?” And, “Who can help me understand…?” Sentence stems can help students to think of questions and reduce their hesitation since they are only completing the questions, not starting them. Still another strategy is to establish a routine for questions after information is presented, a demonstration is concluded, group discussions are finished, assignments are given, and other class activities are complete. For example, we might set an expectation for questions by saying, “I need three questions before moving on to our next activity.” Here, we make questions part of the transition process. At first, students are likely to be reluctant but as the expectation becomes routine, questions are likely to come easier and be more substantial. Of course, we need to be patient and allow time for significant questions to be framed and presented. Research shows and experience verifies that we typically do not allow adequate time for students to contemplate and form questions before we move on. We might also have students turn to a classmate or form a small group to present and discuss questions. This strategy presents questions as an expectation without making the conversation as public as asking questions with the entire class listening. Of course, we can wander among our students listening for questions that follow a common theme or represent the need for further explanation or clarification. If students have access to technology, we can utilize applications such as Padlet for students to post questions without having to worry about presenting them orally. As students post their questions, we can cluster similar questions, sort for urgency and importance, and provide responses as appropriate. Meanwhile, we will be assuring students that they are not the only members of the class who have questions or may struggle with a specific concept or learning task. Admittedly, stimulating students to ask their questions can be a challenge. However, the information we can glean from student questions is often essential to the framing and timing of our instruction. The questions can also give us important and timely clues about the needs and experiences of students that may be compromising their ability to learn and succeed in school and life.

July 15, 2021

Teach Students to Become Resilient Learners

Many of the students with whom we work are not confident learners. When they misstep and make mistakes, they often blame themselves. Successive failures can leave them despairing and looking for ways to avoid being revealed as poor learners. They may misbehave, become the class entertainer, or evolve into a skilled distractor and excuse-maker to avoid discovery. Yet, the reasons behind a pattern of less than successful learning are typically not lack of adequate aptitude and capacity to learn. Students may have poor learning skills and habits. They may lack confidence to take learning risks. Or they may simply doubt their own learning abilities. Interestingly, many of these students will go on to be successful in life once they leave school and discover that they have the potential to succeed in ways they never imagined. Our challenge is to help students move from positions of doubt, questioning, and self-protection to become resilient learners who can tolerate temporary failure and setbacks without giving up and retreating to avoidance. The key to building resilience is to see failure as a momentary experience not a judgement about who they are or what they are capable of. Resilience is not avoiding failure but learning and growing from it. We can begin the process of building resilience and “stick-to-it-iveness” by sharing with students that many, if not most, successful people experienced failure in their lives and often in their learning. Famous people such as Albert Einstein, Bill Gates, Abraham Lincoln, and J. K. Rowling all experienced serious setbacks before they became successful. Of course, you will want to find examples that are familiar to your students and with whom they might relate. What’s important is to help students to realize that failure is a temporary condition, and we can change it into success if we follow six key principles. We can frame these principles in “I” statements for students to repeat and apply when they experience setbacks and missteps:

Regardless of what happens, I always have a choice. When bad things happen, we can decide to give up or choose to persist. When students experience negative events, we can remind them that they have a choice. The choice they make will matter far more than what happened to them. Choice means students have control. They do not have to be victims.
I look for what I can learn, not what or who made me fail. Every experience contains a potential lesson that can teach us what we need to know to succeed. However, if students focus on what led to failure, they risk not learning what will make them successful. What is learned from failure is often more valuable than what can be learned from success. Success often disguises mistakes and leads to overlooking what needs to be learned.
I know that effort and good strategy are more powerful success tools than intelligence. Of course, natural aptitudes for some skills and tasks can offer a potential advantage, but unless talents are applied, they are worthless. Research studies consistently find that people who persist with good strategy and consistent effort are more successful in life than talented people who fail to make the necessary effort and fail to learn and apply good strategies.
I think “Not yet” when I don’t initially succeed. Learning and growing are processes. We improve as we continue to practice and use what we experience and learn. “Not yet” recognizes that just because students are not successful now does not mean that they cannot or will not be successful. “Not yet” positions students to keep trying so that in the future they can say, “Got it.”
I know that motivation comes from within me. When we set goals, develop plans, and work hard, we can motivate ourselves. Students do not have to depend on adults or friends to stimulate their interest or give them a purpose for learning. They can generate enthusiasm and choose to be interested. Motivation can make students ready to learn. It is within their control.
I know that when I feel stuck, I am on the doorstep of learning. Feeling stuck can be frustrating, but it often comes just before a breakthrough idea, new understanding, or discovery of a new strategy. Pushing forward in the face of difficulty not only increases the likelihood of success, but it can also build confidence to carry forward to the next challenge.

Teaching students to become resilient learners can be among the greatest gifts we can give them. Resilience is especially important now as many students face pressure to accelerate their learning and “catch up” with where they are expected to be as they begin the next school year. Yet, when we nurture resilient learners, we also offer them a tool for lifetime success.

July 12, 2021

A Student’s View: Expectations That Matter

Each of us has experienced expectations from people around us that influenced our behavior. Their belief in us and our potential influenced how we approached tasks and challenges we faced and may have even carried us to success. It is also true that each of us has experienced expectations to which we have given little attention or may even have rejected. Despite the expectancies and even demands presented, we failed to be influenced or change our behavior. Of course, there are multiple reasons why we pay attention to and are influenced by some expectations and not others. For example, some expectations carry threats or consequences that make lack of attention or resistance a difficult choice. In response to these expectations, we may have complied in the moment or shifted our behavior until the threat passed or the person holding the expectation was no longer able to exact the consequence. At other times, we may have felt little connection to or reason to be influenced by someone who may not have our best interests in mind. In still other situations, we are compelled to give our best effort and continue to respond to expectations even when the person holding the expectations of us are no longer physically present or in a position to monitor our follow through. Expectations can be a powerful force when employed thoughtfully and appropriately. Our ability to tap the power of expectations is important if we hope to have a significant and lasting influence on the success of our students. The secret to expectations that have a powerful and lasting influence resides in five key elements. Let’s consider how each of these five elements can have an impact from the perspective of students, especially for students who may lack the confidence to take on difficult challenges and are likely to struggle on their own. The first element of influence is the relationship we have with our students. It is the foundation on which the other four elements rest. Without a relationship, students may perceive expectations as self-serving and manipulative. From the perspective of students, relationships that influence may feel and sound like: “I am noticed.” “I feel like I belong in this class.” “My teacher is interested in me.” “I don’t care how much you know until I know how much you care.” The second source of influence can be found in our commitment to having our students succeed. Expectations that influence go beyond having students feel noticed. Students need to feel our commitment to their success. From the perspective of students, commitment may feel and sound like: “My teacher acts as though she cannot succeed unless I succeed.” “I feel like my teacher is invested in my learning.” “She always seems to know how well I am doing.” A third element of expectations that influence is confidence that our students are capable and will succeed. What we believe about our students and their potential matters. We communicate our beliefs in thousands of obvious and not so obvious ways, including many of which we may not even be aware. The four most powerful words we can communicate to students are: I believe in you. From the perspective of students, our confidence may feel and sound like: “I know you really believe I can succeed.” “I have doubts about whether success is possible, but your confidence in my potential gives me the courage to try and the hope that success is within my reach.” A fourth element is the guidance we offer when students struggle, have questions, and face difficult choices. Students need to know that we are ready to coach, support, and offer wisdom when they are not sure what to do. This element offers students evidence that they can count on us. From the perspective of students, our guidance may feel and sound like: “She always seems to have ideas and strategies I can try.” “Sometimes she asks me questions that help me find the answers I need.” “Even though she is no longer here, I can still hear her voice and imagine her advice.” The fifth element is our readiness to offer encouragement. Students need to know that we are “in their corner,” paying attention, and that their progress matters to us. Our encouragement to keep going and celebrate success ties all the elements together and reassures students that they matter to us. From the perspective of students, our encouragement may feel and sound like: “I love hearing that she notices my progress.” “It is reassuring to know that she will be there to support and cheer me on.” “Even though it has been years, I still can feel her presence and hear her urging me to keep trying.” Expectations can be a powerful force. They can move students to try, risk, and persist when they might otherwise give up. Remarkably, expectations that influence can last long after our students leave us. When former students tell us that they can still hear our voice in their ears, they are telling us that our expectations had a powerful influence.

July 02, 2021

Class Size Reduction: The Answer for Learning Catch-Up?

The influx of federal funds to counter the impact of the pandemic presents a rare opportunity to address some of the most crucial learning needs present in schools today. However, since the funds have a life cycle and will not last forever, deciding where to spend the money deserves careful consideration. Equally important is maximizing the impact so that learning gains are significant and sustained. Class size reduction appears to be among the popular options under consideration. On the surface, this option may seem to make sense. Teachers see smaller class sizes as reducing their workloads. The fact is that more students mean more work. Parents typically favor smaller class sizes assuming that with fewer students in the class, their child will receive more attention. Increased attention is a worthy desire. Administrators may see efforts to reduce class sizes as a simple way of responding to constituent interests without having to invest in training and manage significant disruption. Yet, despite its popularity, class size reduction alone has not been shown to make much difference in the learning growth of students. In fact, it is among the most expensive options for improving learning outcomes, while also being among the least effective at moving learning forward. Let’s explore some of the reasons why. First, if instruction of 15 students is delivered in the same manner as it is delivered to 30 students, learning outcomes in the smaller class will be substantially the same as in the larger class. Multiple research studies have shown that the instructional approach and the learning experience of students has a greater influence on learning outcomes than the number of students in the class, within reasonable limits. Of course, if class size reductions are paired with instructional strategies and learning experiences that take advantage of the opportunities smaller class sizes can offer, learning outcomes will likely be significantly larger. Increased opportunities for dialogue related to what students are learning, real time interventions during the learning process, responsiveness to learning readiness, and other strategies can make a big difference. Of course, many of these strategies can also be implemented in larger, but still reasonably sized classes. Second, even if small improvements in learning outcomes are realized, they tend not to be sustainable, especially beyond the first few grades. In the few studies that have demonstrated marginal growth solely by reducing class sizes, the growth typically has not been sustained in subsequent years. One study conducted several years ago in Tennessee demonstrated learning increases associated with smaller class sizes that were sustained, but replications of the study have had difficulty generating the same results. Since the COVID-related federal funds will not continue in perpetuity, choosing an option that will not have a long-term impact seems suspect. Third, with a reduction in class sizes comes the need for additional teachers to support the increased number of classes created. During times when a large supply of high quality, experienced teachers is available, this challenge may be overcome. However, most areas of the country are experiencing a shortage of teachers and significant reductions in enrollment in teacher education programs. It is not realistic to place under-qualified and inexperienced teachers in classrooms, even with fewer students, and expect that learning outcomes will improve. Of course, it might be possible to redesign the way in which teaching staff is assigned to provide ongoing support and mentoring to inexperienced staff, but any significant payoff is not likely to be seen until after the federal funds have expired. Additionally, if new funds are not available to replace the expiring federal funds, many of the newly hired teachers will likely have to be let go and class sizes will return to pre-COVID funding levels. So, what are some options to consider as investments for the federal funds that might be combined with or used to supplement smaller class sizes to create a greater impact? Here are a few examples:

Offer targeted tutoring to accelerate student skill development.
Provide teachers with flexibility to focus on learning needs over pre-set instructional pacing requirements.
Offer opportunities for teachers to learn and develop strategies to increase student engagement despite larger class sizes.
Provide teachers with training, time, and other supports for greater instructional collaboration and strategy sharing.
Provide teachers with more flexibility in scheduling and assignments to support increases in planning and reflection.
Offer “grade bands” over narrow, age-based grade levels and curriculum that fail to meet the needs and readiness of many students.
Offer teachers options to increase their compensation in exchange for skill acquisition and leadership roles.

The bottom line: Unless the experience of learning changes for students, we should not expect changes in outcomes. Being in a smaller class may offer opportunities for improved learning but learning only improves if instructional approaches are more impactful and learning experiences are enriched.

June 21, 2021

Here’s How to Build Learning Skills Now

In last week’s blog we explored the importance of designing this summer’s learning experiences to stimulate and nurture the curiosity of students to build a drive to learn that can sustain them well beyond the coming year. Research and experience point to powerful long-term benefits of students remaining curious and persisting in their quest to make sense of the world they encounter. There is yet another dimension of building future learning success to which we need to give attention. While curiosity gives students a drive to learn, they also need skills and strategies to engage efficiently and effectively in the learning process, including when they are not in a formal setting and instructional support is not present. The combination of sustained curiosity and skills to learn in response to varied challenges is crucial to lifelong learning success. As we engage students in learning this summer, we would do well to keep in mind the importance of building skills for learning beyond being receptive to instruction and responding to specific learning expectations. Fortunately, building these skills does not require significantly more time and resources. There are several steps we can take while supporting the learning students need for a successful start in the fall. Here are five actions we can take immediately:

Support students to set goals for their learning and participate in identifying steps they will take and activities in which they will engage to reach their goals. Obviously, the goals need to be aligned with identified standards and progress benchmarks, but as much as practical the goals need to reflect the commitment of students rather than goals we assign to them.
Monitor the level of challenge with which students are presented to ensure that success is possible with appropriate focus and effort and not so easy as to not generate new learning. Known as the Zone of Proximal Development, the best learning outcomes tend to be generated within this range.
Coach students to reflect as they struggle, make progress, encounter setbacks, and grow. The practice of reflection is among the most powerful learning strategies available. As students become increasingly skilled at reflection, they become increasingly independent learners.
Focus feedback and recognition on the effectiveness of learning strategies and aligned learning effort. Help students to understand that the use of effective strategies and smart effort positions them to learn concepts and skills that are increasingly difficult. Meanwhile, they will be building confidence in their learning and tolerance for unsuccessful initial attempts to learn.
Whenever possible, frame learning in the context of the value and purpose it represents. Purpose is a powerful driver of learning. The more we can connect learning and the value it can offer, the more students will come to value learning and the more likely they are to choose to continue to learn, even when we are not present.

While we want students to learn content and build skills needed for the fall, we also need to give attention to building the capacity and drive to continue learning beyond what is needed immediately. By building learning skills and nurturing curiosity in our students we can give them the tools necessary to be skilled, independent learners who can succeed in a world that is increasingly complex and dependent on a citizenry of learners.

June 14, 2021

The Gift: Developing a Curious State of Mind

Educators across the country share the concern that too many students fell behind in their learning progress over the past year. Addressing this concern is important, but we need to be thoughtful about the strategies we use and the learning experiences we present to students. In our drive to have students demonstrate proficiency and meet expectations, we also need to attend to building strong relationships with learning and a drive to learn. Having students catch up now only to fall behind again in the future accomplishes little. Fortunately, there is a powerful way to build learning momentum and instill the drive to learn without adding significant time and effort to our work this summer and beyond. The answer sounds simple but powerful in its results. Multiple research studies and decades of professional experience testify to its potential to propel learning and lead to lifelong success. That powerful factor is curiosity. Humans are naturally curious. However, the environment students experience in school often discounts and even stifles curiosity in favor of pre-staged experiences, predetermined processes, pre-answered questions, and predicable outcomes. Consequently, students often do not see schools as places where curiosity is valued and appreciated. A recent study conducted by Pediatric Research found that curiosity is a key factor in predicting the learning achievement of students regardless of socio-economic background. However, for students from lower socio-economic backgrounds, the impact was even more powerful. Students from lower-socio economic backgrounds with high levels of curiosity were found to perform at the same levels of students from more advantaged backgrounds, thus erasing the too frequent presence of an achievement gap. Curiosity is a key driver of learning regardless of age. When we tap the curiosity of our students as part of the learning process, they learn more easily, they remember what they learn longer, and often learn at a deeper level. Further, as students become habitually curious, they become more independent in their learning as they search for information and answers important to them. How can we stimulate and reinforce the curiosity of our students? Here are six steps to consider:

Make the learning environment safe and respectful. Curiosity grows best when students feel safe. Curiosity is often demonstrated in the questions students ask and students need to feel safe enough to risk asking.
Ask interesting, open-ended questions. We can give students reasons to be curious if we present them with conundrums and inquiries that connect to their experiences and interests. We also need to be patient and take a coaching stance rather than default to providing immediate answers.
Be curious about students and their interests and obsessions. Our interest and questions can show respect for and validate what is important to our students. Our questions and interest also model our curiosity.
Treat mistakes as opportunities to discover and learn. Mistakes can have many causes. Helping students to understand and work through their mistakes can build confidence and perseverance, two key contributors to remaining curious.
Teach students to be observant. Being aware and noticing are two of the most important sources of curiosity. Coach students to notice their environment and pay attention to what may be interesting, mysterious, and worth exploring.
Reinforce with students how their curiosity can benefit them. Share with students how curiosity has led to important inventions and discoveries. Highlight historical figures whose questions, imagination, designing, and creating led to a life of success and satisfaction.

Obviously, there are many more ways we can stimulate and reinforce the curiosity in our students. However, our patience, attention, and encouragement when we encounter curiosity in our students can give them confidence to pursue what interests them and become lifelong learners. This summer is a great time to launch our students on this journey. Research: Hassinger-Das, B., & Hirsh-Pasek, K. (2018). Appetite for knowledge: curiosity and children’s academic achievement. Pediatric Research, 84, 323-324. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41390-018-0099-4

June 07, 2021

Share Your Tips & Stories

Share your story and the tips you have for getting through this challenging time. It can remind a fellow school leader of something they forgot, or your example can make a difficult task much easier and allow them to get more done in less time. We may publish your comments.

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Designing a New Normal for Learning

Much has been written and discussed about the importance of not returning education to the “old normal” as we exit the pandemic. Obviously, what we mean by “normal” encompasses many dimensions, including culture, structures, routines, and practices. Our goal is to capture all that we can from our experiences over the past year and apply what has been learned in ways that make the “new normal” richer, more inclusive, and more effective for students and learning. Our challenge is to give students experiences that accelerate their learning, build their learning skills, and prepare them for success in a rapidly evolving workplace and to enjoy a rewarding and satisfying life. Unfortunately, for most students, pre-pandemic school experiences fell short of meeting this challenge. Now, as we think about what lies ahead, we have an opportunity to make changes that deliver on this promise and create a new normal for learning. We might ask: What criteria or indicators will define or identify learning experiences, programs, and opportunities that will deliver what we seek? As we consider the best uses of the new federal support funds, what outcomes should we prioritize and monitor? What indicators of learning in our classes point to the type of learning that will serve our students well for a lifetime? Here are seven design elements to consider:

Build learning skills and motivation to learn. It’s no longer enough for students to absorb what is presented to them. The world is changing quickly and learning will be a lifelong pursuit. Knowing how to learn will be crucial. Not all learning will come from a professional who provides organized, sequenced, easy-to-follow instruction. The ability to learn independently will be a differentiator. In addition, we need to instill in students the motivation to learn, including the curiosity and confidence to pursue what may not yet have been discovered.
Nurture ownership of new skills and knowledge. Traditionally, students have often seen learning as something they do in response to adult expectations and to avoid unpleasant consequences. The learning experiences we offer need to position students to see value and take pride in what they learn. Learning increasingly needs to be something learners do in response to goals and purposes they own.
Place the learner at the center of experiences. Instruction and other learning activities must begin where the students are, not where we would like them to be, or the curriculum imagines them to be. Learning needs to be responsive to the readiness and needs of learners, not part of a standardized routine, pre-set schedule, or a predetermined pace. The guiding questions need to be, “What is this learner ready to learn?” and “What do they need to move to the next level?”
Nurture goal setting and “way finding” skills. Goal setting and the skills and habits necessary to reach them have long been important life skills. However, in the workplaces where our students will build and spend their careers, knowing where they are going and charting the way to reach their destinations will become even more important to success and satisfaction.
Build commitment to consistent quality in learning and work. As freelance, contract, and other flexible work roles become an ever-larger part of the workplace landscape, delivering consistent quality will be essential. No longer can we assume that students will work in environments where supervisors will monitor work to ensure that it meets quality standards. Long-term success will likely be determined by the level and consistency of quality present in products and services workers deliver.
Provide opportunities to use new learning to generate new solutions, applications, and ideas. It’s no longer enough for learners to apply what they learn in predictable and predetermined contexts. Learning that prepares students for their future needs to include a generative component that reveals how they can enhance and add to the value of what they learn.
Grow personal and professional networks. Work is increasingly a social activity. New ideas, innovation, and novel solutions are increasingly the products of teams. Connections, relationships, and networks open doors to resources, supports, and opportunities that will be crucial for success. Learning experiences must build networking strategies and skills if we hope to prepare students to compete and succeed and enjoy a rich life.

The future of work is changing rapidly. The pandemic has accelerated emerging trends and stimulated others that promise to transform work as previous generations knew it. We must commit today to give students the experiences and build the skills necessary for success and satisfaction regardless of the life path they choose. Adapted from Key Criteria for Learning Innovation, The Institute for Personalized Learning.

May 17, 2021

Lift Summer Learning While Lightening the Instructional Load

Summer learning activities, especially those for students who struggled or whose learning lagged over the past year, present multiple challenges. The students will likely be experiencing the effects of what was a frustrating and less-than-successful year. Consequently, enthusiasm for learning may wane. They are also giving up a significant portion of their summer to engage in what they may not see as fun. As adults, we too may feel the exhaustion of a difficult and less-than-satisfying year. We may not be looking forward to spending more weeks teaching when we feel the need for rest and rejuvenation. Still, building and supporting the learning of these students are crucial and urgent tasks. We need to do all that we can to have students be prepared to succeed when school begins again in the fall. If they are left to fall farther behind learning expectations now, the consequences will likely be long-term; maybe even lifelong. Yet, there is little reason to expect that repetition of what was less than successful during the year will be more successful in the summer. We need to find strategies and approaches that can offer better learning hope for students and a measure of leverage, support, and relief for our instructional efforts. Simply pressing harder will not be enough. Sometimes, the solutions to problems we face emerge when we look at the problem from another perspective. For example, trying to convince someone to shift their thinking can be more successful when we stop arguing and start listening. Our dilemma for summer learning may also be eased by thinking about the challenge from a different perspective. We know that learning is a social activity. Relationships matter. Yet, most students spent the past year learning in relative isolation. We know that engaging with peers can lessen feelings of anxiety and lead students to take learning risks with and learn from others. We also know that students sometimes feel more open and at ease with adults other than the teacher in the classroom who holds authority and requires accountability from them. We can engage these learning “levers” in a variety of ways to shift our practice and provide instructional variety, offer new support options, and support new learning. Here are four potential strategies from which you can draw to craft your approach. First, consider forming study teams within your class. We know that when students study and learn together, their learning often accelerates. Unfortunately, for most students this strategy becomes routine only when they are in college and need to rely on each other to learn complex content. At first, you may need to spend time helping students to form productive groups and learn how to leverage each other’s learning. If students experienced learning pods during the past year, they may have a base of experience on which you can build. Regardless, the payoff can be significant as students study, problem-solve, complete tasks and even engage in some assessments together. Equally important, you will be teaching students a strategy that can support their learning for a lifetime. Second, consider pairing your students with others who are older or younger for cross-age tutoring, practice, and reinforcement. If you are teaching older students who need to practice and solidify skills that were introduced in earlier grades, explaining and practicing the skills with younger students can be a powerful learning experience and confidence builder. If you are teaching younger students who need motivation and encouragement, having older students give attention and support to their learning can provide a strong motivational boost. Third, consider recruiting students who may be interested in teaching as a career to work with students who need attention and support. We do not have to limit our recruitment to older students. They just need to be interested in service and possess adequate academic skills to support the learning of your students. When these students form relationships and share their enthusiasm, the impact can be substantial. You will be providing your students with learning support while also providing experience to and feeding the vision of potential future educators. Fourth, consider enlisting the support of retired adults from the community. Many retired adults spent the past year in isolation and feeling purposeless. They are also among the population most likely to be vaccinated. The opportunity to engage with young people and support their learning can be compelling. Students, too, may value these relationships. Local senior centers and adult living communities are good places to contact. The adults may need some guidance, but even if they spend their time listening to students read and hearing students explain processes for solving math problems, the benefits will be far more than worth the effort. The past year has been trying like few others. It has been exhausting. However, renewal can take a variety of forms. Sometimes, making changes to our routine and trying new approaches can provide us with the energy and renewed motivation to carry us through—and even help us to thrive.

May 10, 2021

What Is the Role for Homework Now?

Just about everyone feels the pressure to accelerate learning in the final weeks and days of the school year. Too many students have fallen behind, and we feel the urgent need to catch them up. Of course, we can focus on key concepts and skills and let less crucial aspects of the curriculum go for now to save time and energy for learning crucial content. We are also working hard to reestablish and renew relationships, sustain a supportive environment for learning, and create an emotionally safe space for students who need to finish transitioning to in-person school. In this context, it can be tempting to turn to increased homework to fill gaps and reduce reinforcement and practice time while we are face to face with students. While on the surface relying on homework to “take up some of the slack” may seem worthwhile, it may be a less effective strategy than we assume. While there is little research on what impact homework had on remote learning during the pandemic, there is significant research on its effectiveness as a strategy associated with in-person learning. The findings point to limited learning benefits and some significant downsides that should give us pause, especially now. In short, if homework is designed and positioned correctly, it can increase student motivation to learn, but poorly designed and positioned homework can lead to decreased interest and commitment. Let’s examine some of the potential downsides of relying heavily on homework, especially now. First, the greatest learning benefits come from the homework students complete, not from the amount of homework assigned. The key is to design homework students can and will complete. Attention must be given to how realistic, interesting, useful, and doable homework will be from the students’ perspective. We may think what we’re asking students to do is valuable, realistic, and achievable, but if students can’t or don’t do the work, learning will not be the result. Second, when homework involves practicing new concepts and skills while students are still uncertain, confused, or hold misconceptions regarding what to practice, homework can actually work against learning. We risk having students repeat errors and increase their confusion while doing homework intended to support their learning. When this is this case, more assigned homework will cause more learning damage. And when students practice and reinforce misconceptions, it takes even longer to correct problem areas and more effort for students to relearn correctly. Third, too much homework can diminish its benefits. Once students reach a point where the work has reinforced their learning and created confidence, more practice has not been shown to increase achievement. As a general guideline for high school students, homework requiring about an hour to an hour and a half per night is optimal. For middle school students, the greatest benefits are found in homework requiring less than an hour. For elementary students, if homework is assigned at all, it’s best for the time required for completion to be even less. To be clear, the optimal times reflect total homework time, not the time required per class. Collaboration among teachers and administrators is crucial to avoid overloading students with homework and diminishing any benefits. Fourth, homework can have a different impact on students depending on their home circumstances and learning skills. Students who have adequate background knowledge to successfully engage in the work often find homework an easy task. But students without this advantage can find the time necessary to complete homework is as much as double what’s required for more advantaged students. Further, when homework requires access to resources not provided by the school, expectations for homework completion at home may not be realistic. The implications of these disparities grow and become more serious when homework is scored and used for grades. Students who actually give more effort and invest more time in completing homework can be penalized—while classmates with support and access to resources are rewarded with better grades. These homework practices can actually increase achievement gaps and inequities. Homework, if carefully designed and thoughtfully assigned, can reinforce learning and provide opportunities for practice and application. However, we need to be attentive to the potential risks and downsides it presents. If homework is going to be among the instructional strategies on which we rely as we finish the year, we need to employ it judiciously and in limited amounts.

May 10, 2021

Overcoming a Crisis in Confidence

The coming weeks are a crucial time for learning. We want students whose learning has lagged over the past months to catch up. The end of the year will soon be here and expectations for learning growth for many students have not been met. Special efforts are underway to accelerate learning and ensure that students gain the skills and learn the content they will need when school opens again in the fall. For many, this summer will be a time for classes and study rather than leisure and relaxation. Yet, aiming our focus on instruction and content coverage alone will not be a recipe for success. Regardless of how diligently we teach, students must be ready to learn. They are a key piece of the success puzzle. Certainly, many students who have been learning remotely are ready to return to in-person learning and engage in whatever learning lies ahead. At the same time, a large group of students have found learning during this past year to be more difficult than in previous ones. They struggled to focus and had difficulty sustaining learning efforts, especially when they felt stuck. Too often they did not have the learning support that used to sustain them when they struggled. Their grades have fallen and, in some cases, they face the possibility of failing. As adults, we can see that the learning conditions they’ve faced have likely contributed heavily, if not fully, to the situations in which these students find themselves. For students, the situation is not necessarily as clear. As a result, many have come to doubt their learning potential and skills. What used to come fairly easily no longer does. What has been lost is their confidence. With loss of confidence comes greater reluctance to take learning risks. Why try if failure is the likely outcome? Learning persistence also dissipates with loss of confidence. Why continue to struggle if I do not believe I will succeed? It can be less painful to be chided for not trying than to be exposed as not capable. What these students face is as much a crisis in confidence as a crisis in learning. What can we do to help students rebuild their confidence and move past this crucial learning barrier? Here are seven strategies to tap:

Demonstrate confidence in our students. If we are convinced that our students will succeed and we consistently communicate our belief in them and their capacity to be successful, our confidence will “rub off.” It is much easier to take risks when important people around us are confident that we will succeed.
Focus on small successes. Confidence grows with successful experiences. Learning activities at which students can succeed can get them started. We can also design these activities to tell us what students know and may be ready to learn next.
Set goals with students. Conversations about goals can offer great opportunities to share our confidence and challenge students to reach higher. If students feel as though they are part of the goalsetting process, they are also more likely to take ownership and make greater efforts to succeed. As goals are met, we can reinforce with students their capability and potential.
Coach students to recall and recount their successes. Confidence grows as we feel successful. Self-talk plays a key role in how successful students feel. By coaching students to remember and relive their successes, they can counter negative, confidence-undermining narratives. Of course, they occasionally need us to point out and remind them of their successes and areas of strength.
Discourage students from comparing themselves and their performance with others. Comparisons to others who may be moving faster or doing better can undermine confidence even though another student may be in a very different situation. What matters most is for the student to concentrate on his or her own learning and progress. It is also the only element students can control.
Remind students that effort and occasional struggle are an important part of learning. In fact, learning that comes easy is often forgotten just as easily. When students have to concentrate and make multiple attempts, we can remind them that they are experiencing a natural part of the learning process.
Enlist students in keeping track of their progress. When students submit assignments, turn in tests, and complete assessments solely for our attention and recording, it can be easy for them not to be aware of their progress. Yet, documenting and tracking progress can be highly motivating and confidence-building. We can design monitoring tools and strategies that position students to monitor their progress, in addition to our records. This information also can be helpful when progress begins to slow, and students need additional coaching and nudging to get back on track.

Of course, confidence is a personal experience. Its presence or absence can be due to multiple causes. Consequently, a confidence-building strategy for one student may not be effective for another. We need to tap our knowledge of our students and our relationships with them, select the right time, and choose the best strategy. The right combination can have a powerful impact.

April 26, 2021

The Master Teacher Blog