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Four Learning Strategies to Teach Yet This Year

We are approaching the point of the year when the time remaining begins to feel short and the list of what is yet to be learned feels long. We may choose to speed up the pace of instruction to ensure that everything contained in the curriculum is covered before time runs out. We may choose to ignore the problem and maintain the current pace, leaving what is missed for next year’s teachers to address. Or we may decide to focus on building the learning strategies students can use to better absorb and recall what they are asked to learn and be more successful now and in the future. The problem with simply speeding up the pace of instruction is that it does little to increase the rate, depth, or recall of learning. We may meet the expectation that the curriculum is covered, but exposure to content and skills is not the same as learning. Choosing to maintain the same pace and allow the “chips to fall where they may” risks passing along learning gaps and compounding the instruction and learning challenges teachers and students will face in the fall. Shifting to focus on learning strategies can help students to learn more, while also becoming better learners. We may find that not everything we would like students to learn can be introduced and mastered in the time remaining, but we can be more confident that what students learn will stay with them longer and they will have more effective strategies to address learning challenges in the future. When paired with thoughtful sorting of what is crucial for students to learn before the year is over, this approach can be a powerful way to finish the year. So, what are some of the ways in which we can help students to become more successful learners and better “recallers” of what they have learned? Here are four strategies we can employ with minimal disruption to routines or loss of instruction and learning time. First, we can coach students to spread their practice of new skills and concepts over time. Rather than practicing vocabulary words or math problem intensively in a single session, students can engage in fewer repetitions and return to the concept or skill a few hours later, the next day, or over several days for more practice sessions. When we spread practice sessions over more time, we signal to our brain that what we are learning has more significance and recall becomes easier and lasts longer. Second, we can provide students with opportunities to vary learning related activities. We might present a new concept or skill and then design multiple ways to apply what is being learned. For example, a math problem might be introduced as a formula, followed by a word problem, and then used to solve a practical challenge. Varying activities as students are gaining and practicing new learning can increase their understanding of a concept or skill beyond following a step-by-step process to a predetermined answer. Interestingly, highly skilled athletes employ this process to move to even higher levels of performance. Varying a basketball jump shot and mixing tennis swings can lift skills beyond what is accomplished by simple repetition. Third, we can coach students to self-test. When preparing for exams, students often believe that the best preparation is to review and reread content and materials. However, engaging in self-testing has been shown to be more effective. Responding to questions and applying new learning can help students to diagnose areas in need of strengthening and determine priority areas for focus and practice. Fourth, we can help students to connect learning to more than an exam or grade. When students focus their learning efforts on passing a test or getting a good grade, they signal their brains that the utility of what is being learned does not necessarily extend beyond the assessment event. Consequently, students are more likely to forget what they have learned once the exam is passed, and the grade is issued. When we help students to see purpose in and gain value from their learning beyond grades and tests, we help them to position their learning for longer retention. We can reinforce this process by returning students to previously learned content periodically for review and application, even after tests are administered and grades are issued. Many of us may already be coaching students to employ some or all of these strategies. If so, great. We can continue to shift ownership for these strategies to our students, so they apply them without our coaching and reminders. If any of these strategies are not part of the experience of our students, now is a good time for students to explore and begin to employ them.

March 31, 2022

Why Grade Retention Is Not the Solution

This is the time of year when we begin to consider how the learning of our students has progressed. Despite the continuing disruptions and distractions this year has presented, most students will likely “weather the storm.” Their learning may not yet be where we would like and expect it to be, but their progress has them close enough to continue to benefit from on-pace instruction. There are gaps in their skills and there is content they still need to master, but time and continued support are likely to eventually place them back on track. However, there are other students whose progress has continued to lag. They may be missing multiple key skills, have had inconsistent attendance, and seem not to be adequately responding to instruction. We may wonder whether keeping these students in the same grade for another year might be the answer. On the surface, grade retention may seem like a reasonable option. The disruption of the past couple of years have led some politicians and policy makers to advocate for and in some cases implement directives that position grade retention as a solution to counter low academic achievement. Yet, decades of research have documented that grade retention often causes at least as many problems as it solves. While students may spend additional time in the same grade, there is little evidence to show that repeating what was not successful in the past will necessarily be more successful in the future. Too often, students view retention as a permanent punishment, regardless of the reasons for their not being successful. They are moved out of their friend group. Their placement with younger students is a constant reminder of their failure and source of social embarrassment. Retained students are subject to frequent reminding that they are not good learners. Further, they typically receive little recognition for the learning they built in the prior year and typically are required to accept instruction on skills and knowledge they have already gained. Research studies also document that grade retention increases the likelihood that students will drop out of school before graduation. In fact, double retention virtually guarantees it. Internationally renowned research analyst, John Hattie, has found that grade retention is one of a small group of educational practices that has a negative impact on student achievement. Requiring students to attend summer school as an alternative to grade retention is popular among many educators. The belief, again, is that more time will equal more learning. Yet, a summer school experience that repeats what happened during the year and is viewed by the student as punishment has not been shown to be an effective solution. If fact, summer school is often presented to students as a consequence for not having worked hard enough during the year. So, what is a better answer? A great place to start is to identify students who are struggling early and not wait to intervene until most of the year has passed. Rarely is the performance of students who are considered for retention a surprise. Typically, multiple opportunities were available throughout the year to provide support and intervention that would make retention unnecessary. Of course, we need to understand why a student is not progressing and design experiences to counter what is blocking progress. The problem may be missing skills that can be filled in. The absence of a strong adult relationship or feeling of belonging may be getting in the way of learning. Maybe a significant traumatic experience has left the student reluctant to take learning risks and lead them to hide rather than engage. Or, it may be an issue or cause that has its roots outside of school and additional resources need to be engaged. Regardless of the specific cause or combination of causes, early intervention avoids most, if not all, of the negative effects of retention. Meanwhile, the challenge of what to do now, with a limited amount of time remaining in the school year, endures. A crucial first step still is to gain an understanding of what is standing in the way of learning. If the barrier is social-emotional, more instruction is not likely to help the situation. If multiple foundational academic skills are missing, instruction based on age or grade level expectations may make the situation even worse. Once we understand the nature of the problem, we can arrange for services and scaffolding supports to address key barriers and help the student to build structures to overcome them, whether social, emotional, academic, or something more. We know that intensive tutoring can be effective when targeted and responsive to learning needs. If learning barriers are more substantial, intensive intervention by a learning specialists may be the answer. If learning is blocked by social or emotional factors, we can design experiences and create opportunities for connections to address needs and build skills to sustain the student going forward. Once learning barriers and problems have been identified and an intervention plan is designed and implemented, we can develop short term and intermediate goals and progress markers with and for the student. We need to be certain that the intervention is working, and any needed adjustments are made in a timely manner. Of course, these steps likely will require more time than remains in the current year. We need to arrange for consistent monitoring and ongoing support as the student transitions into a new year. We must be vigilant to ensure that support remains in place and progress is not lost.

March 10, 2022

Nine Reminders to Help Students Counter Academic Stress

The press to have students catch up in their learning is a current source of stress for many students. They also feel our stress to have them progress at a rate that puts them back on track. The pressure can feel even greater if major exams and graduation are coming into view. Meanwhile, life at school is still not what students were accustomed to prior to the pandemic. This has been a year of unpredictability, disruption, and distractions. At the same time, many students are facing stress in other areas of their lives. Uncertainty about the future can add to the “weight” they feel. Of course, we know that some level of stress can help students focus their energy and do their best work. However, when stress becomes intense and extended, it can have a negative effect on learning and mental and physical health. For many students, the latter state has been their experience for too long. For some students, the intensity and longevity of the stress they are experiencing means they need more intensive assistance to understand and manage the stress they are experiencing. When we suspect this is the case, we need to connect these students with a school counselor or other professional who can help them. For students who are feeling stressed but just need strategies and reminders to keep them moving forward, there are several ideas we can offer. Here are eight suggestions you can share. First, students can transform a long list of obligations and expectations into a more manageable form by creating a “to do” list. This time-tested strategy works as well today as it did generations ago. Students can start by listing the tasks they need to complete, assigning priorities and timelines, and focusing on those tasks that may be most urgent and important to their progress. Second, students can make the best use of their time and energy by creating a schedule for each day and week. Deciding how to use time rather than allowing time to pass uncaptured can make a big difference. Seeing what can be accomplished with the time available can provide a sense of control and confidence that can be lost in the face of anxiety and worry. Third, students can avoid falling farther behind and adding to their stress by focusing on the moment. Physical presence is important, but mental presence – listening, focusing, and reflecting – helps to process current content and move learning forward. Spending learning time contemplating other obligations and stressors will likely add to the stress students already feel. Fourth, students can consider breaking projects and tasks into manageable segments and creating incentives for reaching key milestones, such as finishing the reading of a chapter or completing a written assignment. Celebrating even small accomplishments can provide a sense of control and release endorphins that can generate additional momentum. Fifth, students who habitually over commit can lessen their stress by setting realistic expectations. Not everything will be perfect. Some mistakes and setbacks may occur. Taking a realistic view of what is possible and doable can help students let go of what may be adding stress but is beyond reach under current circumstances. Sixth, students can counter stress by engaging in regular exercise. As little as 30 minutes of exercise can contribute to a sense of well-being, improve the quality of sleep, and reduce feelings of anxiety. Seventh, students can balance their academic focus by enjoying some “down time.” Mental breaks can be reenergizing and lead to more effectiveness and efficiency when students return their attention to schoolwork. Rest and socialization can be powerful counterbalances to exhaustion and burnout. Eighth, students can push back feelings of stress by practicing good sleeping habits. Getting plenty of sleep time is important, but the quality of sleep also matters. Students should avoid doing schoolwork in bed, if possible. The quality of sleep can be enhanced by avoiding activities that involve screen time just before going to sleep. If falling asleep is a challenge, students can practice relaxation techniques such as tensing and then relaxing muscles throughout their body. Ninth, when students feel especially anxious or stressed when performing academic tasks, they can often find relief by practicing deep breathing. Just expelling air can help to calm panic and relieve momentary stress. Similarly, brief meditation and mindfulness activities can help to clear the mind and refocus attention. Obviously, we want our students to be able manage the stress they encounter. Stress will likely be with them in some form throughout their lives. The better able they are to manage their stress, the more success they can achieve. Of course, we, too, are facing significant stress in our work and lives. The same strategies we share with our students can also be a part of our stress management routine.

March 10, 2022

We Have More Influence Than We Think

We may not always feel as though we have much influence on what is happening around us. The impact of our efforts is not always immediately apparent. We may occasionally feel more like the object of others’ influence rather than the source of influence in our environment. Yet, when we reflect, it becomes obvious that we have multiple areas of potential influence available, if we choose to claim them. Some areas of influence may have a reach that includes the entire system. Others may intensely influence one or a small group of students. Regardless, the extent and impact of our influence are heavily dependent on our awareness of how and where we can make an impact, and our willingness to invest. Let’s explore four of these areas of influence, how we can make a positive difference, and how we can more fully appreciate our impact. System Influence We might think that participating in committees and work groups at the school and school district level should not be a high priority for our time. Yet, decisions made at the level of the organization and school often create conditions that can benefit or disadvantage the work we do. Decisions about curriculum, schedules, supervision and evaluation protocols and other system level activities often include opportunities for input. We can use our experience and expertise through these opportunities to influence the context within which we work and even the tools and materials provided. The philosophy and approach presented in instructional and supplemental materials can have a profound impact on our work with students. The purposes and processes underlying activities such as supervision, professional responsibilities, and professional learning can make a significant difference in the levels of success and satisfaction we experience. Instruction Influence Each week we design and plan activities for students to stimulate, engage, and extend their learning. The richness, depth, and variety of these activities will, in large part, determine the learning experiences of our students. This level of influence holds the greatest potential to determine learning outcomes and build learning skills. However, our potential influence goes beyond whether students meet the content standards and skill expectations of our lessons. While unit tests and standardized assessments may focus on whether academic content and skills were developed, our long term and most importance influence will be determined by whether we nurture the skills and motivation within our students to become learners for life. Our students benefit little if they master the curriculum, but lose their sense of wonder, curiosity, and commitment to continue to learn. Relational Influence Our commitment to develop relationships with students and colleagues is crucial to the informal influence we possess. When we form strong relationships with students, we nurture in them a sense of belonging and being valued. We also open the door to influencing the ways in which they respond to our expectations and instruction. Students who may not naturally be drawn to the content we teach can change their perspective for no reason other than the relationship they have with us. Our relationships with students represent a crucial element of the context within which they experience learning. Our relationships with colleagues also offer important opportunities to influence. The values we live, the priorities we establish, and the commitment we demonstrate to our professional work and students can offer powerful modeling for colleagues. Our willingness to collaborate and share our expertise and insights can make a pervasive difference in how colleagues view their work and the confidence they have in their ability to be successful. Advocacy Influence Our ability to advocate may be the area of influence that is least appreciated, but in some ways is the most powerful of all. Many students already have natural advocates. They may be successful learners. They may have strong, positive relationships with staff and other students. They may participate in activities and win awards. However, there are also students within our schools who have few, if any, advocates. Unfortunately, these are often students who need someone willing pay attention to their needs the most. These are students who may seem invisible. They may be students who act out and are quick to push back on authority. They may be students who are living troubled lives outside of school and find it difficult to connect with life in school. When we choose to listen, understand, and accept these students we can have a powerful, lifelong influence. We may be the one person in their lives who pays attention to how they see the world. We may be the only adult to stand up for them when they need someone in their corner. Our willingness to care and be an advocate may change the direct and trajectory of these students’ lives. An act that might be taken for granted by students who are doing well in school can be a highly prized gift to the student who doesn’t have others like us in their lives. It’s important for us remember that every time we make a comment, take a step to assist, or “lift up” someone around us, we are having an influence. Our impact is not always readily apparent. Years may pass before we become aware of our influence. We may never learn of some ways we have influenced others. What is most important is that we understand and appreciate the difference we can and do make every day—and be grateful for the opportunity.

January 17, 2022

Enlist the Most Powerful Influence on Learning

Who has the greatest influence on whether students will learn? Some say it is the teacher. This statement recognizes the powerful impact educators can have on the conditions, direction, and focus of learning. Teachers bring knowledge, experience, and strategies crucial to learning. Teachers create the environment, design activities, monitor progress, provide feedback, and offer many other supports for learning. However, close examination reveals that it is not accurate to say that teachers have the greatest influence on learning in the classroom. It is learners who hold the most powerful influence. They choose whether learning will occur. A simple test of this premise can be made by considering who must be present for learning to happen. If learners are not present in the classroom, learning cannot occur. If the teacher is not present, learners may still choose to learn. Although, the learning may be less intentional, less focused, and even lead in undesirable directions. To be clear, this is not an argument intended to discount the influence and status of teachers in this crucial process. Rather, it recognizes that learning is an autonomous act. It is intentional and self-constructed. It is a personal process. As educators, we can have significant influence on students’ choices to learn and provide crucial guidance and support to the process, but learning is the work of students. We might say that while learners are the most important resource for learning, teachers can be the most powerful stimulators of learning. We know that learning begins with what students know and are ready to learn. Learning grows when students make connections and integrate new understanding with past knowledge and experience. Learning tends to stick best when it is driven by purpose and students understand the usefulness of what they are learning. Unfortunately, the traditional approach to formal learning has been to develop curriculum, plan lessons, and present instruction based on what we believe students should know and be ready to learn, rather than what students are ready to learn. The system often features pacing guides based on the assumption that learners will learn at a predetermined rate. Meanwhile, instruction is often delivered to groups of students with varied states of readiness. Some may already know what is being presented. Others may not have the background knowledge and skills to benefit fully. Still others may be ready to engage and learn from the experience. This is a serious system design problem with which educators constantly struggle as they attempt to engage and support the learning of individual students. So, how can we activate this too often underutilized classroom resource? How can we significantly increase the level of learning and ensure that a much larger portion of students learn at high levels? We can start by rethinking the traditional approach that is driven almost exclusively by instruction and prioritize learning as the core and driving activity. This shift invites us to ask a new set of questions and consider learning conditions that will activate students as key influencers of their learning:

Rather than starting by asking what I am ready to teach, we can ask what our learners are ready to learn.
Rather than focusing on whether students are complying with our directions, we can ask whether we are building their commitment and capacity to learn.
Rather than expecting all students to progress at the same learning rate, we can design approaches that respond to student readiness to learn and their optimal pace for doing so.
Rather than expecting students to depend on predetermined paths for learning, we can nurture in students the skills and inclination to become increasingly independent learners.

Admittedly, making such a change is not easy for many of us. The shift asks us to let go of much of what we have assumed about teaching and learning. On the other hand, unlocking the unlimited learning potential of students is more than worth the effort. The result can be strong, capable learners prepared for a future that will ask much of them as learners and expect them to serve as driving influencers as they build a path to success.

December 28, 2021

Flexible Classroom Space and Learning: What Is the Connection?

Redesigning classroom space, purchasing comfortable furniture, and giving students more freedom to choose where they will learn are popular trends. Educators hope to create more inviting learning environments and reduce student anxiety and stress while learning. The objectives are laudable, but these types of changes in classroom setup by themselves will likely fall short of generating better learning outcomes. In some cases, they have also been shown to make learning more difficult for students who need more structure and routine to support their learning. In fact, there is little evidence that changing seating arrangements and replacing furniture will change learning outcomes in any significant and sustainable way. This is not to say that structure and space are not important. They can be, but only if they are aligned to and support experiences and processes that have greater power to influence learning outcomes. The truth is that we cannot change learning outcomes unless we change learning experiences. Learning experiences include how students engage with content, are introduced to new skills, and the role students play in the learning process. When students experience learning that is focused on their needs, are supported to build learning independence and agency, and feel a sense of belonging to and shared responsibility in a learning community, a flexible learning environment can supplement their learning experience. On the other hand, if students continue to experience a traditional, standardized, instruction-driven learning environment, flexibility in structure and space will likely have little positive impact. In fact, students who feel little ownership for their learning environment are more likely to misuse and abuse the freedom and responsibility they are offered. So, how should we think about the role of structure and space if our goal is to maximize learning outcomes? First, we need to be clear about the learning experiences we want our students to have. Do we want them to experience greater ownership and take more responsibility for their learning? Do we want students to develop greater independence? If so, we need to design learning experiences that lead to these outcomes. Giving students choice and voice, having students set goals for their learning, supporting students to participate in learning assessment activities, and building community are great places to start. Second, we need to determine the optimal context for instructional strategies and learning experiences to flourish. Sitting in desks that are arranged in straight rows facing the teacher can work against efforts to collaborate, develop community, and take ownership for learning. Conversely, if learning is expected to be driven primarily by structured presentations and teacher led activities, desks in rows facing the front might be an appropriate arrangement. Third, we need to consider how the space will be used. Will students have a variety of choices in where to sit and how to learn? If so, the space and furniture should reflect the learning design, with multiple seating options, varying table heights, etc. Of course, the process of developing responsibility and independence in learning may require instruction, coaching, feedback, and guidance so that students take appropriate advantage of the spaces designed to support their learning experiences. The bottom line is that designing space and deciding what furniture to purchase is not the best place to begin. A better starting point is to ask what learning experiences we want students to have and what learning outcomes we want to pursue. Further, we need to be clear about how the approach we choose will lead to the learning outcomes we seek. Once these decisions are made, we can ask what furniture and how more flexible space will support the learning environment we want to create. A final thought: The purchase of a full complement of classroom furniture to create flexible space may not always be necessary. Often, pieces of existing furniture can be repurposed. Three-shelf bookcases can double as high-top workspaces. No longer used choir risers can serve as small group seminar spaces. Even a corner of the room, when separated by a visual barrier, can become a “reading cave,” or “reflection zone.” Use your imagination and scour the school storeroom. You may be surprised by what you discover.

December 28, 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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Four Connections We Need to Make With Every Student

Our goal every day, every week, and every year with every student is to reach and teach them. We study the curriculum, familiarize ourselves with the standards, plan lessons, and develop assessments all with the intention that students will respond, invest, and learn. These efforts are worthy. They address aspects of instruction and learning that are measured and for which we are accountable. They represent the knowledge and skills we developed in our preparation programs and often are the focus of professional development activities. Yet, a focus on lessons, teaching, and assessment represents an incomplete picture of the work we do. If we hope to engage learners deeply, challenge them fully, and remove limits on their learning growth, students need to experience more than our instruction. The truth is that reaching and teaching every student requires attention and commitment. We need to connect with students in ways that lead to deeper understanding of who the student is, what their hopes are, and what will open their hearts and minds to learning. It can be helpful to think about this more human aspect of our work as having four key dimensions. We might even think about them as central to forming powerful relationships, nurturing trust, and building readiness for learning. #1. Every student offers a lesson: We need to learn it. While we prepare lessons for our students to learn, they also offer lessons from which we can learn. Sometimes the lesson is about how to break down and teach a particular skill. The lesson may be about the importance of compassion and patience. It might be about how a student we thought was not capable just needed a different explanation. It could even be that when a student understood that we believed in them and their capacity to succeed, they responded in surprisingly positive ways. The number of potential lessons students can teach us is limitless. The key is to pay attention, reflect, and apply what we learn. #2. Every student has a story: We need to hear it. Today more than ever our students come to us from varied backgrounds and with a wide array of experiences. We might make assumptions about who a student is based on socio-economic status, race, family circumstances, and a variety of other factors. However, every student has a unique story that heavily influences who they are. A student from a middle-class family may be subject to abuse or neglect. A student from a family that struggles to make financial ends meet may have a loving, stable, supportive home life. We cannot really know our students until we know their story. Importantly, the stories reflect the perceptions and perspectives of the student, not necessarily their literal life experiences. If we don’t really know our students, we will always be limited in what we can teach them. #3. Every student possesses a gift: We need to find it. It can be a challenge to believe that some students have a gift or special talent. They may not show a particular strength or ability. Yet, residing inside of them may be a spectacular gift. It may not relate directly to academic learning. It may even manifest itself in unacceptable behavior. Nevertheless, the key is to look for the gift each student possesses. When we find it, we can encourage, coach, and develop it in ways that benefit the student. Even if we never really find the special talent a student has, the search can result in the student beginning to believe that they have a talent worth discovering and developing. When we see ourselves as talent scouts and searchers for special gifts and students feel our interest and confidence, they will find it difficult to resist searching too. #4. Every student holds a dream: We need to embrace it. We may not think that every student has a dream, but they do. It may be grand and unrealistic. Or, it may be as small as having a consistent place to sleep, or a family on whom they can depend. The dreams our students have may not be the dreams we would choose for them, but their dreams are not ours to choose. What is important is that we take the time to listen and accept their dream, even if it is the dream of the week. When we know and support the dreams students hold, we have special access to what is important to them. We can also connect what we are asking them to learn with what they find relevant and purposeful. Of course, over time, we may be able to influence the dreams students hold. We may be able to help them see a bigger picture and to dream higher. However, we should never diminish or undermine the dreams students hold. We cannot know whether the dream they hold may someday become reality. The role of an educator can be stressful and even discouraging at times. Yet, we have amazing opportunities to support and develop young lives in ways that will last a lifetime. We just need to learn the lessons they can teach us, hear the stories they can tell us, see the gifts they can show us, and embrace the dreams that give them hope and purpose.

December 22, 2021

A More Accurate Indicator of School Performance

As a nation, we are preoccupied with test scores: maybe even consumed by them. We use test scores to rate and rank schools. We track test score trends to see if schools are improving, staying flat, or in decline. We use test scores to market schools. We even use test scores to shame schools that appear not to be measuring up. But what if we are monitoring the wrong indicator, or at least not the best measure of school quality and performance? We know that there is a high correlation between test scores and the socio-economic status of students’ families. This correlation has consistently fed the perception that families with financial means choose or demand schools that are effective and the best schools serve middle and upper-middle-class families. On the surface, the connection seems obvious. However, two recent studies call this perception into question. The first study, conducted at Stanford University, looked beyond test scores to measure school effectiveness. The research focused on the learning growth demonstrated by students over a period of years. The study included achievement data for students in grades three through eight from 11,000 school districts. The research concluded that despite where students started on the performance continuum relative to other students, their academic growth over time was not predicted by their third-grade scores. In fact, students in many schools and school districts in high poverty areas demonstrated more growth than their counterparts in wealthier neighborhoods and communities. Yet, their growth was not necessarily reflected in the highest test scores. While early childhood and initial elementary grade performance is heavily influenced by community socio-economic-related factors, such as income and family education levels, growth between third and eighth grade appears to have minimal relationship to these factors. The perception that students in poverty are not capable of learning at a rate comparable to more economically advantaged students appears not to be accurate. A second study conducted by St. Louis University earlier this year found similar patterns in schools in the St. Louis metro area. In multiple schools with high concentrations of families in poverty, students demonstrated growth that in many cases exceeded learning growth in schools that served students from more economically advantaged families. These and other studies call into question the wisdom of relying on test scores as the sole or even primary measure of school effectiveness and quality. In fact, some schools with higher test scores may be generating lower learning growth trajectories than schools with lower test scores. So, what should educators, parents, and communities take from these findings? First, we need to focus on learning growth data rather than rely solely on current test scores as proof of effectiveness. We cannot determine what happens in the lives of students before they reach us, but we can focus our attention and efforts on ensuring that they are making progress each day, week, and year. Second, we need to coach students to focus on their learning growth. When students see their progress and understand their power to determine their progress, we can help them to counter the confidence-sapping impact of comparisons with other students who may be at different points on the academic performance continuum. Of course, over time learning growth will also translate into better test scores. Third, we need to advocate for accountability systems that consider the trajectory of student learning and not solely reflect the advantages that families and communities provide before students start formal education. If we want to make responsible comparisons of school performance, learning growth must be given at least equal status to test scores. The bottom line: We should not continue to ignore the importance of learning growth as we consider the performance of schools. Test scores have a role to play, but the extent to which socio-economic status correlates with and in many cases accounts for performance on standardized assessments must also inform any judgements we make about how well schools are performing.

December 20, 2021

How Multitasking Undermines Learning

The ready presence of technology and the fast pace of life can make multitasking seem like an efficient way to accomplish the tasks and meet the expectations of life. Yet, multiple research studies have shown that multitasking isn’t really what we do. In fact, we are task switching. Unfortunately, with each task switch we become incrementally less efficient and more prone to make mistakes. Task switching is particularly harmful to learning. Learning, especially when a concept or skill is complex and challenging, requires sustained focus and concentration. Meanwhile, today’s media-related technology often presents strong competition for the attention of students while engaging in learning acquisition and reinforcement activities. To be clear, passive use of technology such as music in the background does not necessarily interfere with concentration. However, active technology such as texting, posting, and monitoring posts can create significant focus and concentration challenges. Of course, students may argue that their generation is better able to handle technology related multitasking than their parents’ generation because they have grown up with technology. Certainly, today’s students have been exposed to technology at an earlier age than most adults, but research calls the assertion into question. A study published in Computers and Human Behavior found that student participants studying while non-learning related technology was present averaged only six minutes of focused study before switching to social media, texting, and other technology associated activities unrelated to their academic task. Yet, we know that the longer students remain focused and engaged during study sessions and other learning activities, the more likely they are to absorb and retain what they are learning. The most effective strategy for students to counter the tendency for technology-related task switching is to limit or eliminate immediate access to unrelated devices and applications while learning. Reducing the temptation and ease of engaging in task switching can help. When elimination of non-learning related technology is not possible or practical, we can coach students to schedule periodic “technology breaks” to engage in social media, texting, etc. Committing to focus for a specific length of time followed by a rewarding break can help students to build their attention span and disciplined focus. This approach can also give students opportunities to practice executive functioning activities such as self-discipline and delayed gratification. In addition, we can coach students to employ conscious study strategies, such as self-quizzes and building concept maps, to increase their focus and concentration and remain on task for longer periods of time. When students focus on what and how they are studying they are better able to resist temptations and avoid becoming distracted by other activities. Further, we can teach students metacognition strategies such as being conscious of how well they are focusing and how deeply they are concentrating. Metacognitive strategies can be especially helpful to increasing student awareness of the effectiveness of their learning strategies. Admittedly, learning to resist task switching is no small challenge in today’s world. Yet, if we can help our students to develop effective strategies and skills to overcome the temptation to task switch, we will have given them a valuable, success supporting, lifelong gift.

December 13, 2021

Six Keys to Getting Students to Do Their Best Work

We know that the best learning happens when students give their best effort. Casual approaches to learning tasks often lead to products that may be passable, but not notable. When we recall our own learning and what we value most, we probably recall taking the learning challenge or task seriously, feeling confident but not complacent, and experiencing support to give our best effort. We want to create these same conditions for our learners. We want them to give their best effort and produce their best work. Of course, some students always seem to give their best effort. Other students give extra effort sometimes, but not always. And still others can do better work than they typically produce but fail to do so. So, how can we create conditions and position learning tasks and challenges so that students give their best effort and do their best work? Let’s explore six keys we can employ that have been shown to make a significant difference in the quality of work that students produce. First, we can give students purposeful work. Of course, students need to see the work as purposeful. It is not enough for us to think it should be worthy. Purposeful work taps what students value and see as worth pursuing. Some students will respond to grades as their purpose. Unfortunately, when grades are the only reason for learning, learning retention is often short. Second, we can allow students to play a meaningful role in defining a quality work product. We can engage students in discussions about what qualities and characteristics need to be present in quality products. We can share exemplars with students and have them analyze dimensions that represent quality and what might fall short. We can even formalize this process by building rubrics and scoring guides. Third, we can engage student curiosity and unleash their persistence. Presenting open-ended questions for students to consider as they plan and prepare can offer unique work paths that students imagine and create. Meanwhile, we can coach students to see that excellence is rarely the result of a first or single attempt. Reflection, iteration, and practice move performance from good to excellent. Fourth, we can provide focused, timely, thoughtful feedback. When we frame feedback as observations rather than judgements, we invite collaboration rather than resistance. When we position feedback as a conversation, not a presentation, we stimulate an exchange of information and perspectives rather than an argument. Feedback becomes more attractive when students experience it as “food for thought” rather than the “final word.” Fifth, we can assure students of our confidence in their ability to succeed. Our relationships with students carry significant weight in how students perceive the likelihood of their success. Our belief in the capacity of our students is a crucial element in building their confidence to do high quality work. Of course, our expectations carry maximum weight when they are clear, realistic, and authentic. Sixth, we can arrange an audience for the work that matters. When students care about the opinions of the audience of their work, they are more likely to give their best efforts. Sometimes peers can play this role. At other times, students will “give each other a pass” and will not represent a strong motivator for quality. Teachers, parents, and community members can often play this role effectively. Also, writing for a publication and performing for a video recording and posting can be influential. The key is for the audience to be important, but not so high stakes as to lead to action paralysis or emotional meltdown. We may not be able to get every student do their best work every day. However, the more we can position and inspire students to do their best work, the more they will learn. Further, the more often students strive to do their best work, the more they develop skills and habits associated with high performance. Remember: Success in life often resides in moving good work to excellent.

December 06, 2021

We’re In Your Corner!

We might think that working long hours is the best way to be productive, but cognitive science paints a different picture.

The Master Teacher Blog