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The Physical Environment of the Student-Centered Classroom

Types of Seating Arrangements

Horseshoe and U-Shape

This seating arrangement is suitable for student-centered and teacher-centered activities. It works for small class sizes. This seating arrangement encourages discussions and creates a large space for presentations and demonstrations.

Cluster arrangement

Desks are arranged into small groups. This helps promote student-to-student interaction. Students can develop skills like communication, collaboration, problem-solving, and more. Students feel part of a large group but mainly responsible for the group that they occupy.

The seating arrangement must also cater to students with various problems, for example, the visually impaired, those with hearing problems and the noisemakers in the class in order to achieve the best results. Consideration must also be made for:
Charging stations for tablets or laptops
Available Wi-Fi bandwidth
Necessity for students to see the teacher’s monitor or smartboard.

Learning Theories

1.     Tasked based learning: Task-based learning focuses on the students and allows them to be competent communicators. It gives the students a chance to complete activities instead of listening to a lecture. Gives students a chance to explore the language. All the teacher has to do is set up the activity, give feedback, and guide the students.

2.     Communicative approach: This approach focuses on learning through communication. In the classroom, students can try to produce meaningful ideas and communicate with their classmates based on their own experiences.

3.     Constructivist theory: Students construct meaning and knowledge through new interactions and experiences. They are active participants in their own learning journey. The understanding of the material has to come from within. Learners enjoy this process more when they are encouraged. Students focus on understanding and thinking instead of memorization. Students develop both social skills and autonomy.

Example of activities and implementations

1.  Have an explicit learning goal for each and every class.  Let students know what they are doing and why they are doing it.

2. Move away from practice activities that focus on accuracy. Rather, use activities that focus on fluency.
3. Use production activities. (Group work, presentations, problem solving)

4. Use the students as a resource.  Let the students provide examples and illustrations.

5.Try to create activities that employ higher-order thinking skills. Students learn when they have a need and when they have to use the material to accomplish some task.

Sources

The Communicative Approach (2019) The British Council. Retrieved from: https://www.teachingenglish.org.uk/article/communicative-approach

Bolen, Jackie (April 4, 2022). Task Based Language Learning and Teaching: Activities, Tips & More. ESL Speaking. Retrieved from: https://eslspeaking.org/task-based-language-learning/

Griffith, W. I. Ph.D. & Lim, H.Y. Ph.D. (March, 2010). Making Student-centered Teaching Work. MEXTESOL Journal. Retrieved from: https://www.mextesol.net/journal/index.php?page=journal&id_article=37

Sean -
My current Grade 1 classroom has several physical aspects that are specifically geared towards supporting student centered learning, some of which have already been mentioned in the research presented here. The classroom is large so has elements of flexible, cluster, cooperative, and independent grouping strategies present. There are 3 clusters of main tables. Having the students facing each other like this promotes collaboration between peers. Students are not limited to this single work area though. We have a large rug/carpet in the reading corner, so children can sit on the floor to work or talk. There is a taller table so that children can work standing should they wish, as well as smaller chairs around a low table (similar to those they were using last year in Kindergarten). There is also a craft area with tables that can be separated if a student wishes to work alone.

The teacher’s desk is at the back rather than the front of the room. This allows the teacher to effectively monitor students and intervene when necessary but takes the focus away from the teacher. It also encourages students to speak and act more freely as they don’t feel like they are constantly under observation, although, in reality this is often still the case.

If students wish to write they have several options for doing so, small whiteboards, notebooks, tablets, a variety of pens and pencils. Students select which pieces of work and which posters they would like to have on the classroom walls. Whenever we work at centers/stations students are encouraged to try all of the centers but are allowed to allocate the amount of time they spend at each.

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Using Technology for Student-Centered Learning in an Online Environment

In an online classroom it can be helpful to look at three methods of student interaction to facilitate a student centered learning environment.

1. Student-content interaction: to be sufficient have students do something meaningful that relates to the content and allow them to think critically about the learning.

2. Student-student interaction: interaction between students allows them to feel a part of a learning community and take part in higher order thinking that would be much harder to do alone. Collaboration, creativity, critical thinking and problem solving are all skills that are practiced and developed through student interactions.

3. Student-teacher interaction: should be more than just answering questions. Teachers should create a framework for student- teacher interaction where they can participate and engage with students about the content.

Considerations in building an online toolkit:

1. Is the tool relevant?  What should you and your students be able to do?

2. What online tools do the students already know how to use?

3. Does the school have the budget for hardware or for service subscriptions?

4. Can students access it from anywhere? Is it compatible with their devices? Are they in a country that supports it?

5. Is the tool easy for students to navigate? Different students have different tolerances and abilities. Is the tool still relevant to the shifting needs of the classroom or is it outdated?

6. Can the technology be moderated?

Creating your Online Teaching Toolkit for:

1. Creating a sense of community in the classroom. (chat rooms, whiteboards, Jamboard, PADLET)

2. Making the classroom interactive and fostering student participation. (Zoom, PARLAY, Google Hangouts, Kahoot, PADLET, Flipgrid)

3. Making instructional videos. (Zoom, Animoto, Screencastify, Loom)

4. Free online resources for topics you are teaching. (Khan academy, Ted X, IXL, Dreambox)

5. Teacher communication and feedback. (Google Classroom, Class Dojo, TeacherKit)

6. Collaborative and interactive apps: Zoom, Slack, WebEx, SeeSaw, Google Docs, PADLET, Frame)

7. Assessments (Google Forms, Survey monkey)

8. Parental engagement: (Google classroom, Google Meet, Class Dojo)

9. Differentiated Instruction: Badaboom, Quizlet, Piktochart, Coggle, Mindmaps, Canva)

10. Sharing videos. (YouTube, Vimeo)

Student Centered Activities Using Technology

Allow learners to develop content by facilitating a discussion in a forum to which podcasts or videos are uploaded, to which they can contribute individually or in groups.

Have students do presentations via live webinar or Flipgrid to showcase their research.

Create relevance by presenting students with a problem, where they can immediately use their problem solving skills.

Ask students to participate in a role-play or debate activity using online forums or web conference tools.

Project-Based Learning (PBL) Just as we experience as students of Moreland University, the use of collaborative tools can be revolutionary. Google Docs, Dropbox, iLab, and even Padlet are all wonderful examples of tools that students can use to share information, ideas, and inspiration quite easily and with organization.

Creating a digital portfolio: Older children preparing to enter University can be encouraged to create a digital portfolio in school. This is a digital piece of work that can follow students beyond the classroom, providing them with opportunities to share their skills with the world.

Sources:

Digital Class (2022) 18 Best Online Teaching Apps That Help You Teach Online. Retrieved from: https://www.digitalclassworld.com/blog/online-teaching-apps/

Gonzalez, Jennifer. (January, 2022) 6 Ed Tech Tools to Try in 2022. Cult of Pedagogy. Retrieved from: https://www.cultofpedagogy.com/edtech2022/https://edtechimpact.com/categories/adaptive-learning

Kaufman, Trynia. (2021) Distance Learning Toolkit. National Center for Learning Disabilities. Retrieved from: https://assets.ctfassets.net/p0qf7j048i0q/3eRr6v417UPiI16kXfbKfw/35df736e1b8eb4f1f0d8b4940ec92c63/Distance_Learning_Toolkit_2021.pdf (Understood, 2021)

Lawless, Carline (2019). LearnerUpon Blog - Learner centered approaches: Why they matter and how to implement them. Retrieved from: https://www.learnupon.com/blog/learner-centered/

Riggs, Shannon (2020). Educause - Student centered remote teaching: Lessons learned from online education. Retrieved from: https://er.educause.edu/blogs/2020/4/student-centered-remote-teaching-lessons-learned-from-online-education

Renard, Lucy (February 7 2020). Choosing the best classroom technology - 5 things teachers should think about. Book Widgets. Retrieved from: https://www.bookwidgets.com/blog/2020/02/choosing-the-best-classroom-technology-5-things-teachers-should-think-about

Rhode, Jason (2009) 7 Steps for Choosing the Best Technology Tools for Your Teaching. EdTech Magazine. Retrieved from: https://www.jasonrhode.com/choosingtechtools

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What are some student-centered approaches or techniques that are based on or require collaboration?

Many student-centered approaches and techniques involve the teacher taking a backseat to the class and allowing the students the freedom to think critically without walls. I specifically enjoyed Shelley Wright’s example that she gave during her TEDtalk about the power of student-driven learning. Wright explained the moment “throwing out” her lesson plan and asking her students the question, “If you could design school to be anything you’d like, what would it look like?” By asking this question she was able to gauge her students and help support them as they embarked on the fundraising project that they had come up with.

A technique that I use at my school to help build a student-centered class is Circle Time. During Circle Time, the students are encouraged to roll a ball to one another to ask and answer questions using our target language. I will attempt to not correct the students if they say a sentence wrong, and instead, have another student offer assistance if it’s needed. Before we begin asking each other questions, I will demonstrate the target language by giving my own fun answer.

One technique I found interesting in the reading this week was based on the idea of putting the students to work. What this teacher did was she gave her second grade students a writing project that had real-world effect. The teacher tasked her students to create a Substitute Teacher Binder of everything the substitute would need to know. This project helped the students to feel important and heard. The students knew that this binder was going to be put into practice soon and that it was important to think critically and brainstorm with one another.

Another technique that the above teacher practiced with her students was signing them up for the National Postcard Exchange. During this writing project the students were given the opportunity to write to students faraway about where they live. This project helps build a student-centered collaborative learning environment in many ways. First, the students are encouraged to discuss with one another some of the parts of their community that they feel important enough to share. The students are then motivated because they are now in-control of this writing project and what the content will hold. The students were also encouraged to utilize the digital tool, Seesaw. Seesaw helped the students to record their ideas, sketch out their thoughts, and see the content that others had created in their class.

Sources:

Wilkinson, Jennifer. “3 Authentic Multimodal Projects for Young Writers.” Edutopia, George Lucas Educational Foundation, 13 Apr. 2022, https://www.edutopia.org/article/3-authentic-multimodal-projects-young-writers.

TEDxTalks, director. The Power of Student-Driven Learning: Shelley Wright at TEDxWestVancouverED. YouTube, YouTube, 9 June 2013, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3fMC-z7K0r4. Accessed 18 June 2022.

Shana Butler:
In a Reggio-Emilia inspired preschool, collaboration is not only encouraged amongst student groups, teachers and staff are included. Students are encouraged to interact with classmates and teachers. Reggio believes that children will naturally communicate and collaborate if given the environment and space to do so. Teachers can encourage this by valuing and respecting the voices of children, teachers should act as moderators rather than directors. This gives room for students to collaborate in meaningful ways.

For example, in Reggio, students often embark on "adventures to explore their own interests. The topics are not prescribed by the teacher, the students generate them. Students will naturally collaborate with their peers as they continue on their adventures, the shared quest for understanding acting as a natural and powerful motivator for collobartion.

Sources:
Flavin, B. (2020, February 24). What is Reggio Emilia? your guide to this child-driven approach. Rasmussen University. Retrieved June 17, 2022, from https://www.rasmussen.edu/degrees/education/blog/what-is-reggio-emilia/

Reggio Emilia Approach. Reggio Children. (n.d.). Retrieved June 16, 2022, from https://www.reggiochildren.it/

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How can you implement assessment so that it enhances student-centered learning?

In my classroom, observation and documentation are the two most important tools I use to support students through the assessment of their individual learning journey. As an early years teacher, I draw a lot of inspiration from the

Reggio-Emilia approach. It is a student-centered philosophy that encourages freedom of choice, experimentation, and curiosity.

Reggio-Emilia schools don't use formal summative assessments. Since students are free to explore and experiment at their own pace and process, assessments rely heavily on documentation and observation. Reggio-Emilia also stresses the importance of the process rather than the final product, which means it in addition to collecting student artifacts, teachers should be documenting interactions, speech, and decision-making during the process.

This allows students to show what they've learned in a variety of authentic ways, teachers are encouraged to document student learning through work samples, pictures and videos of the process, notes, and even family meetings. For example, if I am looking to assess my students on the national standard " Child understands addition as adding to and understands subtraction as taking away from." rather than hand them a paper test, I may observe and take photos of them as they solve problems using manipulatives in class, or watch them resolve a conflict over the number of snacks with classmates, I may also take notes as they determine the materials needed to create their artwork.

Sources:

LSU College of Human Sciences & Education. (2020). Assessment in Reggio-Emilia. Retrieved June 16, 2022, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B8_SmeQmaj0.

Reggio Emilia Approach. Reggio Children. (n.d.). Retrieved June 16, 2022, from https://www.reggiochildren.it/

US Department of Health and Human Services. (2022, April 12). Interactive head start early learning outcomes framework: Ages birth to five. Early Childhood Learning and Knowledge Center. Retrieved June 16, 2022, from https://eclkc.ohs.acf.hhs.gov/interactive-head-start-early-learning-outcomes-framework-ages-birth-five

Additional Forms of Assessment - Max Johnson

Teachers can use rubrics to let students know what specific success skills look, sound, and feel like. Student can use these rubric in a couple of ways.

Self-Assessment

Self-assessment asks students to identify strengths and weaknesses in their own work and make appropriate revisions. Effective self-assessment involves students comparing their work to clear standards and determining where they need to make improvements.

Peer Assessment

Peer assessment consists of students giving feedback to one another on an assignment. Effective peer assessment relates to a clear rubric and is supported by a constructive process of critique.

Student-Centered Assessment Resources (August 21, 2013). Students at the Center Hub. Retrieved June 18, 2022 from: https://studentsatthecenterhub.org/resource/assessment/

Miller, Andrew (September 2, 2015).

Using Assessment to Create Student-Centered Learning. Edutopia. Retrieved June 18, 2022 from: https://www.edutopia.org/blog/assessment-create-student-centered-learning-andrew-miller

Question 3 - James

A teacher has a number of options when implementing assessments.  Assessments don't have to mean the standard written test at the end of a unit.  Even if it is a written test, there are ways of designing a written test to make it student centered.

Perhaps the first, and most obvious way, is to create a low stakes formative assessment.  This is almost an information gathering process where the teacher can evaluate prior knowledge so they can create future learning activities which build on those skills. This can be done less formally using a variety of techniques including; one-on-one conversations, journals, graphic organizers, or learning profile cards.

If the teacher is going to employ more traditional paper-and-pen techniques, there are other types of options.  One simple method might be to have students answer a question, then explain why they came up with that answer.  Another method might be to create interesting methods to ask questions that provide a forum for students to engage with the material in individualistic ways.  For example, create a hypothetical scenario with all the elements of the learning objective, and have the students create a piece of writing where they problem-solve.

There are other ways to assess a student while maximizing student centered learning.  For example, peer collaboration.  Collaborative assignments have the advantage of being personalized, as well as perhaps adding extra motivation.  The value of peer learning is recognized in education.

Another way to maximize student centered approaches is for the teacher to simply ask their students how they like to be evaluated.  The students will often provide good examples of what has worked in the past, or what strategies motivate them.  The teacher can figure out how to adapt these methods to meet the need of their classroom.

Process portfolios and exhibitions are two additional methods that came up in the readings.  Process portfolio, as the name suggests, is a continuous piece of work, something the student builds on over a semester, term, or school year.  Exhibitions are exciting events where the students get to show off something they've created.

A look at student-centered assessments. ExamSoft. (2022, January 4). Retrieved June 19, 2022, from https://examsoft.com/resources/a-look-at-student-centered-assessments/

Learner-centred assessment. Centre for Teaching Excellence. (2017, June 27). Retrieved June 19, 2022, from https://uwaterloo.ca/centre-for-teaching-excellence/teaching-resources/teaching-tips/assessing-student-work/grading-and-feedback/learner-centred-assessment

Miller, A. (2015, September 2). Using assessment to create student-centered learning. Edutopia. Retrieved June 19, 2022, from https://www.edutopia.org/blog/assessment-create-student-centered-learning-andrew-miller

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A student-centered approach should almost always result in differentiation, as this can allow students to choose what they learn and how they demonstrate their learning.

An obvious example of differentiation stemming from student-centered learning is if students are able to choose different topics to learn about. This would then mean they were using different resources and materials and learning about different areas of interest. This is an example of differentiation of content.

There are 4 ways that teachers can differentiate: content; process; product; and environment. Content is what is to be learned. Students who have chosen to work on the same topic will still have access to the same core content. However, there should be a variety of resources and instructional delivery methods from which they can learn.

Process is how students acquire information. As with content a variety of instructional strategies should be available, targeting various multiple intelligences. Material should be available that is accessible to people with different strengths and abilities, including options for advanced learners and those in need of learning support. Grouping and pacing can be flexible, with learners regularly collaborating with their peers.

Product is how students demonstrate their learning. This could include writing, speaking, creating, conducting, researching, recording, or sharing, to mention just a few. It is important to know learners well so that preferred learning styles and interests can be taken into account. Demonstrating learning should also not just be done as a final close to a topic. Formative assessments should be done throughout to ensure that key skills and learning targets are still being learned.

Finally environment; this is where and with whom students learn. Flexibility of classroom set up can be very helpful in providing a student-centered classroom that allows for differentiated learning. There can be areas for quiet work and collaboration, interactive walls or displays, diverse cultures and ideas reflected, and grouping strategies (flexible, cluster, independent, cooperative) can be taken into consideration and employed.

Student Centered World Podcast: Simplifying Classroom Differentiation
https://www.studentcenteredworld.com/differentiation-of-instruction/

https://www.edutopia.org/blog/differentiated-instruction-strategies-pbl-andrew-miller

How to Differentiate Instruction in Academically Diverse Classrooms by Carol Ann Tomlinson

https://resilienteducator.com/classroom-resources/examples-of-differentiated-instruction/

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Student-Centered World: A Student-Centered Learning Resource

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Click above to listen to Episode 37 of the Student-Centered World Podcast: Simplifying Classroom Differentiation (Transcript at the bottom of this page)

Differentiation of instruction shouldn't be the bane of a teacher's existence. Though there are many ideas for differentiated instruction out there, it seems overwhelming to attempt to do this for every single one of your students, and often, the question " what is differentiation " still lingers.

Differentiation of instruction means meeting every student where they are in their learning so they can master the most content. Often it is not a question of "what", but a question of "how"?

It is not as difficult as it seems and differentiation of instruction will meet each of your students on his or her level and you will be so excited to watch them excel. The "magic bullet"? Student-centered learning.

When defining differentiation of instruction and explaining the creation of a student-centered environment, there is one thing that I have heard a number of times from the naysayers of student-centered learning:

"My students would NEVER do that!"

It saddens me every time to hear this since it simply isn't accurate. Student-centered learning can work in any classroom and is a perfect way to implement naturally occurring differentiation of instruction. I know there are a number of reasons to think this way. A group of students could be particularly challenging, or apathetic, or maybe it's just simply a fear of trying something "outside of the box".

It might seem impossible to differentiate for each and everyone one of them with such varying personalities and learning styles. What most of these educators don't realize, is that in most cases, this type of classroom approach appeals to the more difficult students even more.

Differentiation of Instruction and Student-Centered Learning

Will you definitely reach every single student 100%? I cannot promise that. Just as a more traditional method does not reach every student, this method may not either. I offer no false platitudes here. However, I can promise you that once you have student buy-in, you will be able to reach more of them than with any other method of instruction.

Student-centered activities in the classroom naturally lend themselves to a level of differentiation that helps reach each child more than traditional methods of instruction.

What do I mean by "buy-in"? When I am explaining this method of instruction to others, I always joke that getting the students to sign on to it is like going through the stages of grief. For my high school students, I open on the first day of school explaining that I will never show them one PowerPoint, nor will they take notes on lectures.

They think this is the most amazing thing they have ever heard; what kind of a history class is this?!

Then, as the days move forward, I almost always receive some backlash in the form of "Why do we have to DO something every day in this class?!" Once students realize that student-centered learning is an active learning process, not a passive one, older students will often buck the system a bit.

My response at this point? I generally just smile. I know what's coming.

In the next few days and weeks, the entire energy of the classroom changes. You can actually see Bloom's Taxonomy in action right before your eyes. As students start going through the motions, they become more and more engaged in the activities.

The differentiation starts happening naturally and on each student's own personal terms.

Suddenly, they're "learning by accident" as I like to call it.

They're living the content and becoming more deeply involved in learning about it than if they were passively trying to absorb the information. On teacher appreciation day this year, I received an email from a student that included this:

I just want you to know that I appreciate you as a teacher because the methods you use to execute information are brilliant. I have already learned so much in your class without even realizing it. You taught me how to teach myself and have lots of fun while doing so. If I look back in years of my education your class definitely stands out.

Nothing summarizes student-centered learning as eloquently as this. The students become immersed in their choices so much, they forget they're learning as they do it. I say choices for a reason.

It is important to give students a bit of choice when laying out their assignments or projects. This straight-up naturally lends the class as a model of differentiation for each one of them.

I may give them some general guidelines, but then every question that comes across to me I usually answer with "whatever works best for you".

This method of student-centered classroom management helps everyone involved. Who wants to see cookie-cutter work over and over again when grading?

Though we may wish to see consistent concepts, it is a breath of fresh air to see the student creativity come forth with the understanding of those concepts. They get an idea and run with it without the restraints of what their work "has" to look like.

When each student is completing their own work within the boundaries of the same content, it is differentiation at its finest.

This is honestly one piece that teachers have a tendency not to think about. We have had it beat into our heads for so long to make sure our students are on target and are learning the curriculum that we forget that there isn't one set way to do that. We are told to differentiate all the time, but we know how impossible that can seem.

Student-centered learning not only naturally differentiates, but also allows us to get into the heads of our students a bit more. What makes them tick? What do they enjoy? What interests them?

By learning these little tidbits, it helps us to shape how the classroom functions and there is more student buy-in. They, in turn, will give better work and you get to see different assignments come rolling in that the students actually have pride in completing, not just something they put together because they were told they had to (or, even worse, didn't complete at all because they didn't see why it was important).

Thinking about giving your students that much power can seem downright scary. What if it doesn't work and the class runs amuck?

Yes, that is a valid fear, but guess what?

Chances are that is NOT what is going to happen and you will be pleasantly surprised. Imagine coming into work each day and not knowing what awaits you....but in a positive way.

Instead of spending time lesson planning out for your students, they begin planning the lesson outcomes based on their own needs in the classroom. Wouldn't it be fantastic to have a classroom that runs itself in a way that benefits each student's individual learning style and strengths, while also helping them improve their weaknesses?

Below is the transcript from the Student-Centered World Podcast Episode 37 "Simplifying Classroom Differentiation":

I think the hardest part about wrapping your head around differentiation of instruction is how we are all taught what it is. So, we're taught that differentiation of instruction in your classroom means making sure that every student's needs are met in a way that works for them. The way that we are taught to do that is to amend our assignments, chunk this, add more time for that.

Even if a student isn't classified, it doesn't have any type of accommodations, we're still expected to kind of see where we might be able to help them and to do that through the differentiation of instruction. If you're in the younger grades and you have a couple less students, it might be a little bit easier than say in high school where you might be teaching upwards of 150 students.

But it's still not easy, especially again, if you're in the younger grades, you have all the subject areas to worry about. It just becomes really, really overwhelming.

I think it's such a disservice to everybody in education to not understand how easy differentiation of instruction is without driving yourself crazy and truly the key to all of this is student-centered learning. There is a reason why the data out there says that we should be teaching in a student-centered manner that has a natural element of the differentiation of instruction.

But alas, as I've mentioned so many times, there's so much out there that explains what student-centered learning is, and that we should be doing it, but not really anything that explained how to be doing it. That's why I ended up creating a " Passion for Progress " and Student-Centered World to help teachers figure this out when you have a fully student-centered lesson with differentiation of instruction.

That doesn't mean that your students are running amok and it's chaotic and you're kicking back and reading the newspaper.

It means that it is a very well thought out planned lesson that has student choice, a flipped element to it, opportunities for children to have leadership roles and really show their strengths and also their weaknesses. But in doing all of that, which sounds overwhelming, but again, it's not when you know how to do it, you will find that the differentiation of instruction happens naturally for every single student in there.

I have not spoken with one person who has gone through " A Passion for Progress " and has implemented it in their classroom and is not in 100% agreement that not only is everything fully differentiated for literally every child that walks through the door, but it makes your life so much less stressful and you get to enjoy the time that you have with your student.

Especially in today's educational climate, I can't tell you how many teachers have reached out to me on Instagram or Facebook or sent me an email and said that they are drowning, that they are burning out, that they don't know if they can make it through this school year. I've had conversations with all of them about just some simple tweaks that they can make. So many teachers right now are just trying to keep their heads above water.

So many teachers right now are hitting levels of stress that no human being should have to go through. The support that they are receiving from the people that should be helping them is almost non-existent or it's making their life harder. So, when you're in an environment like this, and you're supposed to be differentiating for every student, in the way that we were all taught that differentiation of instruction should happen for every student, it seems impossible, and rightly so.

Teacher Stress

But let me tell you, the teachers that I was able to train prior to the pandemic, or over the summer of 2020 have said that they are not overly stressed out, just that they are tired.

Of course, teacher tired we know is a thing no matter what and they are rolling with the punches, just like we all are. But they don't have this dread and this overwhelming stress and this feeling like they can't do it anymore. They've all said that they're okay, that their students are engaged, that their lessons are naturally differentiating and if they are trying to teach through a screen, or they're trying to teach in a classroom with a mask on or whatever the case may be, they've got it covered and they're doing okay.

That's the pure beauty of student-centered learning and the differentiation of instruction. It doesn't make your life harder; it doesn't make it more stressful. As a matter of fact, it does the complete opposite of that and makes it, so you are reaching every single student.

Not only are you reaching them in curriculum and ability, but it gives you the opportunity to get to know each one of them on a personal level. It gives you the opportunity to talk to every single one of them every single class period.

No longer are you only focusing on the kids that are struggling. You don't have the high-flying kids that barely get your time because you don't have a chance. We're just assuming that they are doing what they need to be doing. You don't have students that are hiding it and are falling through the cracks because of the way it's structured, and the way that you have the ability to almost be teaching every student on a personal level.

I know there are some people out there that just don't believe it because it seems like it's not possible. But again, I was a high school history teacher that didn't lecture, and I have trained teachers from pre-K, all the way up to 12th grade with the same techniques. Obviously, it's a little bit different for grade level or for the subject area but it works. It differentiates and it's not more work for you.

That is EXACTLY what student-centered learning does every single day. Give it a shot and watch the differentiation of instruction happen naturally... you have NOTHING to lose!

Differentiation of Instruction with the 4 Keys

The differentiation of instruction in your classroom isn't difficult, it just needs to ebb and flow with the students and where they are (physically, mentally, and emotionally). Being flexible is the key to making all of this work. The key is engagement. There are four keys to student engagement that I discuss in my video training challenge called "Finding Your Student Engagement Formula" and it walks you through those four keys and how to implement them in the classroom.

If you are interested in registering (it's totally free), visit the Finding Your Student Engagement Formula Challenge registration page and you will be notified the next time the series is available.

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An Easy Path to Differentiated Instruction | Student-Centered World

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Differentiation of instruction shouldn't be the bane of a teacher's existence. Though there are many ideas for differentiated instruction out there, it seems overwhelming to attempt to do this for every single one of your students, and often, the question " what is differentiation " still lingers.

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Assessment isn’t just a tool that can be used to enhance student-centered learning, it is a key element in creating a successful student-centered classroom. When talking about assessment it is important to note that this does not just mean testing and grading, it means getting to know more about the student. We can assess students’ passions and interests in a variety of ways, including conversations, journals, and pictures. We can assess what they want to learn about and how they want to learn it. We can have formative assessments to determine content knowledge and skills at any given time. These formative assessments can then be used to modify teaching and learning strategies (summative assessments are typically used considerably less when practicing student centered learning). We can also assess for 21st Century Skills and use these results to help select activities and experiences that foster targeted growth in these areas.

All of these assessments should be inclusive to all learners. The UDL framework is a great tool to use to check whether the assessments are inclusive. Students should have a voice in deciding how to demonstrate their learning, so students will likely not all be assessed using the same method. It is often valuable for the teacher to give students a variety of different types of assessment from which to choose.

Together these assessments provide us with data on what a student needs to be successful in the classroom. It provides information about each student that will allow the teacher to differentiate, so increasing student engagement and motivation.

A recent case study: My Grade 1 Class Literacy Research Project. Below are the reading and writing rubrics and the unit statement.

Unit Statement: The student will read informational text with the intent of gathering new information. The student will write a multi-paragraph research paper that includes illustrations, “domain specific vocabulary”, and interesting facts about the topic. A visual presentation will be created to represent what the student has learned.

Reading Literacy (S02): (Reading for Information)

1. The Student Will set a purpose for reading a nonfiction text.

2. TSW select a topic and find a text that supports that topic.

3. TSW read the book they found with the intent of looking for information for a report.

4. TSW use context clues to understand unknown words.

5. TSW monitor their comprehension and ask clarifying questions.

Writing Literacy (S02): (Research Papers)

1. The Student Will explore exemplar nonfiction texts to see how nonfiction authors use illustrations to inform with techniques such as zoom in, labels, arrows, and “teaching words”.

2. TSW create a list of “domain specific vocabulary” by reading nonfiction texts related to his/her research topic and locating specific words that are used to discuss that topic.

3. TSW create a mental or written list of questions the reading audience might ask about his/her writing, and then use the answers to these questions to add details to his/her research report.

4. TSW write a multi paragraph research report, using the writing process.

5. TSW create a visual presentation of his/her research paper and present it to the class.

For this unit students were given formative assessments throughout and we worked to ensure that all TSWs had been met. The students were informed at the start of the unit that they could present their research in any format they chose. They then broke into small groups to come up with as many different ways to present research that they could think of. These ideas were then put before the class along with any additional ideas that we came up with. This resulted in Powerpoints; realistic fiction stories; non-fiction; comics; and board games. With some students starting with one intention, then changing once their research was complete and they had a better idea of exactly what they wanted to present.

https://www.edutopia.org/blog/assessment-create-student-centered-learning-andrew-miller

The power of student-driven learning: Shelley Wright at TEDxWestVancouverED

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3fMC-z7K0r4

The Power of Potential: Student Centered Learning | Ayla Postelnek | TEDx https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pI1GtWRI55A

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Edutopia is a free source of information, inspiration, and practical strategies for learning and teaching in preK-12 education. We are published by the George Lucas Educational Foundation, a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization.

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What student-centered approaches or techniques can you use to address differentiation?

There are several strategies we can use to employ a student-centred approach to differentiation.

First, let's consider four broad arenas where teachers can differentiate:

a) Assessments - Summative and formative

b) Content - The material used to achieve the learning objectives

c) Process - The method used to understand the learning objectives

d) Product - The result of what the student has produced

Consider formative assessments, for example, one way to differentiate is to use technology.  This will help us look at trends over time and respond accordingly.  For example, if we are using a computer program that tracks the understanding of a concept, say a particular Common Core learning objective, and we see that the concept is not fully understood, the teacher can reteach the objective in a new way, with a different approach.

If we are looking at content, for example, it is perhaps possible to find different levelled readings of the same story.  If the story is Peter Pan, we can use the original version with the old-style difficult English for advanced language students.  On the other hand, we can find a story book more geared towards children, for students who are still mastering their reading skills.

In terms of process, it might be more appropriate for some students to write with a paper and pen, yet for other students using a computer program might be the best option.  Whatever the learning objective is, there are different ways to get there using a variety of techniques.

Lastly, if we are considering the product, which is what the student produces, it doesn't have to be a strict summative assessment.  Instead of multiple-choice test, the assignment could ask for a diorama or a rap song, whatever appeals to the students' interests and skills.

Source:

Sfarnsworth. (2018, August 15). 4 edtech ways to differentiate in a student-centered classroom. Shaelynn Farnsworth. Retrieved June 18, 2022, from https://shaelynnfarnsworth.com/2018/02/05/4-edtech-ways-to-differentiate-in-a-student-centered-classroom/

Sarah Tollefson - Answer
ICT tools are great for providing differentiation in the classroom. It helps the students who learn in a non-linear way better engage with the content of the class. One tool that I found interesting to help differentiate while providing a student-centered approach is Trello. Trello is great for project-based-learning because the students can see the details of their projects, ask questions to one another, and include any visual material they need for their assignment.

The Think-Pair-Share method is also a great tool for addressing differentiation in the classroom. This method involves the students thinking individually about a topic. The students should first take a moment to write down or draw the idea or answer that comes to their minds. Then, the students are partnered up to share their thoughts and ideas with each other. After the students take some time to discuss and ideate more together, they are tasked with sharing their findings with the rest of the class. The Think-Pair-Share method of differentiation helps in two ways. First, it is giving students the opportunity to teach their peers and run the classroom for their allotted time. Next, it’s giving the students the opportunity to collaborate with one another and think independently.

Sources:

Game, Prodigy. “20 Differentiated Instruction Strategies and Examples [+ Downloadable List].” Prodigy Education, https://www.prodigygame.com/main-en/blog/differentiated-instruction-strategies-examples-download/.

Written by Ada Rigacci Teacher Trainer in Berlin, et al. “Student-Centered Learning: The Ultimate Guidebook.” Europass Teacher Academy, 20 Apr. 2022, https://www.teacheracademy.eu/blog/student-centered-learning/.

“A List of ICT Tools for Teaching and Learning.” LEAD School, 17 June 2022, https://leadschool.in/blog/a-list-of-ict-tools-for-teaching-and-learning-lead/.

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What student-centered approaches or techniques include physical movement as a central element?

An example of physical movement as a core part of student-centered learning can be found in the Reggio-Emilia Approach. In a Reggio preschool, the environment is known as the "third teacher." Students are encouraged to seek out items of interest within the school or broader community. Reggio-Emilia focuses on student autonomy as children are free to move around to explore and view things from new perspectives.

Reggio-Emilia schools do not have traditional seating arrangements or desks and students are free to change settings as they choose. Items in the classroom (called "artifacts") are multi-sensory, found in the real world, manipulative, and collaboratory. Rather than complete workbooks, students move and manipulate the world around them.

Sources:

Bucher, A. (2020, December 22). 7 ideas from Reggio Emilia that any early childhood teacher can use. Edutopia. Retrieved June 17, 2022, from https://www.edutopia.org/article/7-ideas-reggio-emilia-any-early-childhood-teacher-can-use

Flavin, B. (2020, February 24). What is Reggio Emilia? your guide to this child-driven approach. Rasmussen University. Retrieved June 17, 2022, from https://www.rasmussen.edu/degrees/education/blog/what-is-reggio-emilia/

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Student-Centered Approaches or Techniques for Reading

There are many different systems to follow a student-centered teaching approach for reading. As we know different students have different preferences, thus, it is essential to include different learning styles, activities and feedback games into the course syllabus to give students the opportunity to use a variety of methods to create a differentiated individualized plan.

Martinez, J. (2018) Student-Centered Approaches and Techniques for Reading. Retrieved June 17, 2022 from: http://tnjune17cohort3.pbworks.com/w/page/119008734/Student-Centered Approaches and Techniques for Reading

Think, Pair, Share: In this activity students will discuss and write down their thoughts with a partner before sharing them with the larger group. This will help the students gain a deeper understanding of the text, of their classmates, and of the world around them since they will have the opportunity to discuss their responses with their partners. The teacher could ask the students about what their partners shared with them. This will be a way to make sure the students are engaged and on the right track.

Jigsaw Reading:

Students can become stressed when given an overwhelmingly long text. Jigsaw reading is a strategy that divides long passages into smaller chunks of text (one-two paragraphs) that they work collaboratively in teams to become experts on. Each student then moves into a new group, in which every member has become an expert on a different part of the text. The students then in turns tell their new group about their portion of the text and what they have learnt from it. This technique emphasizes team learning by allowing students to support each other at the same time they build comprehension.

Facing History & Ourselves (n.d). Text-to-Text, Text-to-Self, Text-to-World. Retrieved June 17, 2022 from: https://www.facinghistory.org/resource-library/teaching-strategies/text-text-text-self-text-world

Anonymous (2011) Jigsaw Reading.  Literacy University of Minnesota. Retrieved June 17, 2022 from: h ttps://www.literacymn.org/sites/default/files/jigsaw_reading.pdf

Sarah Tollefson - Answer
Another approach is asking comprehension questions to the students. By asking “Wh-” questions the students are encouraged to think critically without the easy response of “yes” or “no”. By asking comprehension questions, the students are needing to think critically about what they’ve read. For young learners, making the students aware of the differences between “what, where, how and who” are, is essential.

One way of implementing asking questions during reading is by having the students ask the questions themselves. This tactic would work great for students ages 9 and older. How it works is the students read through a passage from their book and then write down 7 questions. Each of the 7 questions are to be gauged towards a specific student in the class. After they’ve drafted their questions, they are to stand up and ask their questions to one another while recording their answers. This activity is based on listening to one another and thinking critically about how they want to ask a question. It is also helpful because the students are able to connect their course reading to a real person in the room.

Sources:

“How Useful Are Comprehension Questions?” TeachingEnglish, https://www.teachingenglish.org.uk/article/how-useful-are-comprehension-questions.

Question 6 - James

There are various strategies for adopting a student-centered approach when teaching reading.  Perhaps central to this is simply providing the forum where students can act independently, gaining agency over the reading process.  This might be as simple as allowing the student to choose the book, rather than having the teacher assign one.

An example from one school in the United States showed success with reading centres.  They were receiving low test results in reading, but adopting this approach saw significant improvements.

The teacher said she set up her classroom with five centres with various tasks, such as:  a) read to self, b) read to friend, c) listening, d) writing, e) word wall and f) problem solving.

Simply by setting up the system and allowing the students to run through it, they achieved greater reading test scores.

MaineDOEComm. (2013, August 16). Learner centered literacy: Owning their own reading. YouTube. Retrieved June 19, 2022, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xxx0P_euuSw