What are the mindsets modern educators need to foster if we want to truly change what learning looks like in classrooms today?
When I think about my role as a teacher, what hope to exemplify most to my students is grace--for mistakes, for the complex learning journey we are all on, and, most importantly, for one another. If we truly want to change what learning looks like in classrooms today, I believe a grace-filled approach must be at the center of all our goals as educators.
What might this look like in the classroom? One of my first thoughts is that we must show grace for any and all mistakes made by students, teachers, faculty, staff, and administrators alike. This could mean creating a welcoming, low-stakes environment for students while also sticking to high expectations for their overall performance, collaboration, and attitude. Concerning co-teachers and administrators, an aspect of grace I would focus on might be respect by everyone involved in the school, inclusive of students. When it comes to mistakes, big or small, it is crucial to teach and act out of respect and grace for one another. That way, education systems can be a more inclusive, empathetic institution where individuals can learn, grow, and become significant members of society.
Likewise, grace is essential when it comes to recognizing the "unspoken rules," as Shifting Schools puts it, among students and classroom culture. It is so easy to become trapped in thinking "I don't know what everyone else knows" or "I can't think of the answer as quickly as everyone else." Neither of these statements hold true. Instead, having patience for oneself and one another is a form of grace and it's important to instill in students that they have the ability and strength to advocate for themselves. From a point of view of grace, recognizing the untruths students (and teachers!) tell themselves and doing so within the classroom reveals that everyone is unique, worthy of learning, and is supported in the classroom community. When this is done and is supported by modern educators, there will be greater room for learning and significant change within classrooms.
Similar to acknowledging the unspoken rules of a classroom or body of students, setting clear expectations is an essential foundation to understanding the role of grace in education systems. Grace does not have a price, that is central to the term. However, it doesn't come without some sort of agreement or expectation. In education, this is where setting clear expectations for students comes into play. One way this might work is through the Kanban methodology, a system where the teacher sets the tasks (or expectations, goals, activities, etc.) and the students, demonstrating autonomy, choose what they do and when they do it. Using this model, students and teachers can work together to meet overarching goals, there are still high expectations involved, but there is also grace for the students' choices and how they complete their chosen tasks.
Just as it is a necessary and vital part of life, grace plays an important part in education. If modern educators were to adopt this outlook, I believe there would be greater opportunity to understand our students, youth, and future for humanity. Using this mindset, schools would become a much more loving, empathetic, and welcoming place for every individual who walks through the front doors.
Resources:
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