Lessons I Have Learned from My Students-Part 3
Students Can Take the Lead, and That's Okay!
Knowing the children you teach is a crucial aspect of the teaching profession. Through observation, connection, and conversation, a teacher gains valuable insight into the students filling the seats in a classroom.
One year, I had a unique student — unique in that she was a remarkably gifted 6-year-old. Her vocabulary, reading, and math skills soared. She was enthusiastic about learning, especially about being challenged. It didn't take long for me to realize she needed more than what I was offering most of her classmates. As teachers, we learn to do our best to meet the needs of every student. When we differentiate lessons, we give students what they need to grow and progress — whether that student is a high achiever or one who needs added support, more time, or another guided practice.
I still remember the day I was starting my literacy lesson. The students were finishing up independent reading time while a few others worked on a morning assignment. I called the class to the carpet, and table by table, the students tucked in their chairs and found their places. Once everyone had settled, I was ready to begin. Quite by chance, I surveyed the room and noticed my gifted 6-year-old still at her desk, engrossed in the book she was reading.
In that moment, I decided to let her "just" read. She was so captivated by the story that she hadn't even heard me call the class to the carpet, so absorbed that she hadn't noticed the other students moving around her. But what struck me most was what she was reading: Little Women by Louisa May Alcott. It's a quite hefty chapter book for a typical first grader — but for her, it was exactly right. I knew she was getting what she needed, right there in that moment. So instead of pulling her into the literacy lesson, I took a back seat and let her be.
Teachers learn to juggle so many things, and it's easier when you know the children you teach — when you understand their needs socially, emotionally, and academically. That lesson served me well through the years. Give each student what they need to succeed, not just one size fits all. So yes, sometimes it's perfectly okay to let the students take the lead. This is how we make a difference!
Trust in the Content and the Process
A number of years ago, I was teaching a four-day professional development workshop for adult learners. I'll preface this by saying I've always felt like a much better teacher of children than of adults — but this is a lesson I learned from my adult students, and one worthy to share.
I stepped well out of my comfort zone in the summer of 2000, teaching my first group of educators in a small schoolroom in Massachusetts. As time passed, I gained experience and knowledge and worked at honing my presentation skills. With each workshop, and a continued focus on practice and reflection, my confidence soared.
One summer I had a particularly fun group. Many were colleagues from the same schools in a single district, and the dynamics of the group kept me on my toes. Listening to their conversations and building relationships — even in such a short span of time — were always a priority for me.
On day one, at our first meeting, I posed a simple question: "What brings you here, and what are you looking forward to?" As people answered around the room, one woman piped up: "I was told to be here, and I'm here for a new sofa." I could sympathize with the first part — administrators have a way of "volun-telling" you into things — but I wasn't sure what to make of the second.
As the days passed, she was a lively participant. She'd dig in and engage with others, but every so often a look and tone of skepticism crept into her conversations. I watched, and I wondered: Am I doing this right? Am I giving her enough to see the value in this approach to teaching and learning? How could I adjust the lessons?
Even as I grappled with those questions, I knew the curriculum itself was unlike anything I'd experienced as a participant in a workshop. There were moments of engagement with others and moments of quiet reflection. The pace flowed well, the content felt relevant, and built-in movement kept the day from dragging. So, I kept watching. I kept listening.
What happened in our closing circle on the last day taught me a lesson I've carried ever since. We went around the room, sharing an insight or takeaway from our four days together — something we'd bring back to our classrooms. When it was her turn, she said:
"I didn't really want to come to this workshop. The only thing I was looking forward to was getting my stipend from the district so I could buy a new sofa." (Laughter rippled through the room.) "But I learned more than I could have imagined about classroom management and my own teacher language — and I know it's going to help me be a better teacher when school starts up again."
It turned out that trusting the process — the strategies and structures for engagement — and trusting the content, was the way to go. I've found that ninety percent of the time, you'll win people over. And that's a pretty amazing feeling.