A veteran teacher turned coach shadows 2 students for 2 days- a sobering lesson learned

    The key takeaways Grant Wiggins lists in the article titled, “A veteran teacher turned coach shadows 2 students for 2 days - a sobering lesson learned,” are real problems that persist in schools today. The first takeaway is that most students sit all day. This is the case in most high schools. Teachers do not always consider that students are expected to sit through most periods. In one of the classes I observed, the teacher made sure to set up a group activity in a way so students did not have to get up. Students sat in group of 4 and shared information with the neighboring group but they sat close enough so that none of the students had to get up. This teacher mentions that by keeping every student in their seats she does not waste their time because they are completely focused on learning. Many teachers arrange activities with this same idea in mind but it is important to consider that sitting for long periods of time can also cause distractions if students are physically uncomfortable. Wiggin’s advice is to ask students to stretch halfway through the class. He also recommends to build in a move around activity every day.
    Wiggins also noted that for 90% of the class period students sit listening passively. This is because teachers lecture for the majority of the period without using appropriate assessment techniques. They do not hold students accountable for participating in the sense that students are expected to absorb new content but not given the opportunity to apply their knowledge in class activities. When we teach classrooms this way students do not learn how to be self directed learners. They expect to be taught the materials and do not learn to develop the skills they need to stay invested in their learning. When students are engaged in the classroom they become enthusiastic about their own learning.
    At my school site teachers make an effort to balance the amount of time spent lecturing and incorporating collaborative activities in their classrooms. Most teachers understand that having students work together in groups helps them grasp new concepts. The common core puts emphasis on collaborative teaching strategies and teachers are noting the benefits.
    
https://grantwiggins.wordpress.com/2014/10/10/a-veteran-teacher-turned-coach-shadows-2-students-for-2-days-a-sobering-lesson-learned/

Wiggins, G. (2014, October 10). A veteran teacher turned coach shadows 2 students for 2 days - a sobering lesson learned. Retrieved October 12, 2015.

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