If you read my last post, you have a better idea and understanding of my classroom dynamics. It’s safe to say that prior to 5th grade, many of these students didn’t have a stake in their learning, and didn’t quite care to. They previously had a mentality of who cares because others (family, teachers, coaches, etc.) would do it for them. One of the toughest hurdles to overcome this school year has not been the learning gaps, but creating a classroom culture that demanded students to positively take ownership in their learning for not only themselves but also their peers. This week’s post will be looking specifically at these questions:
1. What makes a student want to take ownership in their learning?
2. What helps to establish of culture of ownership in your classroom?
Let’s dive right into the first question. Getting students to want to take ownership has not been for the faint of heart. It’s hard to blame the kids for not having or wanting any sense of ownership when it’s never been established or required before. The first piece was opening up the reality of their gaps as I explained previously, but also showing them how they have a voice in their goal setting and plans to grow. A vast majority of my kids naturally assumed ownership when they felt that they had a voice that could be heard and valued. This in turn helped them keep each other accountable in their daily interactions and participation. The next phase was a lot of me dusting them off and being their cheerleader. They’ve never truly had ownership of learning therefore, failure wasn’t normalized for them. If they failed a test or assignment at the beginning of school, it was almost like helping a toddler when they fall down. There were lots a tears, lots of pointing out small successes, and celebrating constantly. One of my classroom phrases became “go slow to go fast”. What I kept telling them is sometimes we have to start slow initially before we can hit the ground running in the future. When we got to the celebrating piece, I had to also take a step back and show them I am just as silly, quirky, and goofy as they are. My students needed that relatability that teachers aren’t perfect and don’t expect perfection in performance. That is when I really saw a difference a light switch on for my kiddos. All of these pieces together tied into question two’s inquiry of establishing the culture of ownership. After the initial hurdles, ownership became a nonnegotiable expectation and conversation in our classroom. I paired this with the Capturing Kids Heart framework for student connection and behavior supports and let me tell me we have been rocking and rolling ever since. When expectations are consistent and clear it helps the process and inter-workings of my classroom be not only predictable for the kids, but a normal routine. Don‘t get me wrong, I am not Super Woman or Captain Marvel and my classes have rough days just like everyone else, but it truly makes a difference when the students have a voice and stake in their learning that is valued and heard.
Work Cited
Plotinsky, M. (2019, October 10). Creating a classroom culture of shared ownership. Edutopia. Retrieved April 29, 2023, from https://www.edutopia.org/article/creating-classroom-culture-shared-ownership
https://www.capturingkidshearts.org/?gad=1&gclid=Cj0KCQjwgLOiBhC7ARIsAIeetVA5Zg8axoWt6GzICmrtNZYbdWbm2RqDT64z_yvAC6jOpuXHTUGwSOoaArEgEALw_wcB
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