Are backwards design frameworks really best? The new proposed curriculum in British Columbia follows the three stages of the backwards design method. The stages work backwards beginning with the objectives, then focusing on the assessment and lastly the implementation, which include the student and the teacher. It is built off the concepts of: What do I need to achieve? Where am I? And how will I get there?

In looking at the model I wanted to consider the foundation it is built upon, (see above paragraph), the analytic power it provides, and lastly what I believe is missing.  Logically, I think this method works. It gives easy to understand objectives, or end lines, one needs to reach before moving on. This method is already being used, and for many reasons it’s successful.  For one, it is easier to achieve a goal if a set destination is before you. It is also very easy to comprehend, as both teachers and students alike are given outcomes, and then have paths to follow to get there. Parents too like this, as when they send their child to school they know what they need to accomplish.

However, I am claiming that this model does not support the 21st century classroom. Constantly, we are hearing change is needed to stop teaching the “traditional” style, yet this framework philosophy still places objectives ahead of the individual. 

Educators who believe a switch to a “new-age” classroom are using authors like the Daniel Pink, Angela Maiers, Brene Brown, David Robertson, Dave Burgess, Myron Dueck, just to name a few, to reshape their pedagogy. Despite this, they are forced to continue with status quo, where a final destination is more important than the process.

While Daniel Pink preaches autonomy, mastery and purpose to engage students, this principle continues to claim engagement is secondary to the outcome. Angela Maiers wants “habitudes” of imagination, adaptability, curiosity but again the framework restricts these. Once again, reaching an outcome and assessment is more important than the student learning and the teacher delivering.

So then why do we create a final destination?  Why can’t we have students create and hand in their own objectives and then become accountable in following their own pre-made paths? Why have an end point, when we have so much diversity in our classrooms?  An analogy I use (living in B.C. Canada) is that there are many ways to Vancouver, which is the end point. With the backwards design principle; they do give some leeway and choice as long as you get to Vancouver. But what if you either have no way to get there or frankly don’t want to go there?  What if instead your passion and ability have inclined you to travel east to Kamloops. Well with the backwards design principle, unfortunately you are just out of luck. Here is where you get kids feeling undervalued and unworthy. These kids who succeed heading east struggle academically are not engaged, become passionless and compliant, and then in worst case scenario flunk out of school. Einstein said it best when he said, “Everybody is a genius. But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid.”

I agree with the amazing authors guiding our 21st century pedagogy. I believe that students of this era need to have choice and autonomy. I believe they need to be imaginative and curious of the world they live in. I believe that a new framework needs to be developed that starts with the student and their passions, rather than have that at the bottom of the pecking order. Doing this will create more diverse, ENGAGED, VALUED life-long learners. Because in this 21st century, isn’t it about the process of learning, and not covering objectives?

A few weeks ago I was asked to present an Ignite at the Surrey Dinner Series; Engaging the Digital Learner. An ignite presentation is a five minute, twenty slides, fifteen seconds per slide production built from your passions as an educator. I have done workshops before, but never have I presented in front of more than 250 teachers, principals and superintendents, not to mention a live stream, which was advertised on social media, for people to watch globally.

For me, in the moment Elisa Carlson asked me to present instant nerves and fear settled in. So I leaned on all my Brene Brown readings. Here the excitement of what was going to happen settled in. Over and over I tell students and teachers to embrace vulnerability. I tell them not to focus on the possible shame of an outcome, but rather enjoy the thrill of the process. Now I had a chance to model this. On the top of my first cue card I wrote just that, “You got this! Enjoy the moment!” With that in mind I turned fear upside down and relished the opportunity to talk about what drives me as an educator. Buckle up because this is what “IGNITES” my pedagogy.

Classroom is yours! What are you going to do with it?

One of the most bizarre feelings is the first day, late in summer about a week before class starts, when you step into a perfectly still, empty classroom. While standing alone in the room a swift realization transpired, a classroom is not a classroom unless kids are in it. For me this led to an “aha” moment! I thought, I am the warden of this sandbox and I can decide what occurs in it. My decision led to my goal that you will read in the next section. 

For all teachers, that empty classroom and empty feeling should motivate you to make your room the epicenter of where magic will happen. Unfortunately, many teachers don’t allow kids a chance to guide their own learning and the magic never materializes. Too many of the ‘traditional style’ classrooms do not build off of the passions and inquiry that each child possesses but rather focuses on and rewards students who demonstrate compliance. It puts walls around the sandbox and says “stay in here”.

Last time I checked stringent boundaries are not known to inspire masterpieces. See a classroom is just an empty canvas. It has no personality. It does not judge your work. It does not care about your ability. The metaphoric walls are merely there to show off your creativity. The kids in your classroom are all individual, brilliant painting tools. Each paintbrush stroke adds character and a story to the canvas. The more types of brushes and the more stroke types, the more diversity you see, and the better story it tells.  For me, I want my little artists to proudly paint their colours for the world to see! 

Reach the heart of the child, and build off their passions.

Last summer I created a goal. I wanted to create a student-centered, passionate, curious and creative classroom that was so engaging that students wouldn’t stop talking about it when they got home. I wanted to create a classroom where students looked at vulnerability as a good thing and then weren’t afraid to fail. I wanted students to take risks in their learning without the fear of judgment. Of course, this is easier said than done. Taking risks, being vulnerable, standing alone and the thought of shame binds us down rather than promoting risk taking. 

But if you get to the heart of the child, make them feel worthy of everything they do, make them feel safe, valued and accepted then risk taking becomes a little easier.

Here is the beauty of life, the classroom and the learning process. Where the heart is the mind will soon follow.  

I wanted to model how seemingly minor social interactions can have massive impacts on the heart. Early this year I wrote a student of mine a letter. Megan was a shy, disengaged girl who had slouching shoulders and sat in the back of the room. She doodled instead of doing work. She doodled with so much passion that I wanted her peers and the world to witness it. This letter I wrote to her pointed out her talent and asked her to use my desk as her doodle pad. The letter has made her feel worthy and proud of her talent. The grander canvas, which she titled “Megan’s Playground”, has turned her into a girl with a permanent smile. Once happy, an improved learner quickly followed.

If you want to know more ways on how I teach to the heart click here.

Use the digital world to enhance learning.

I am very lucky to be in a school district that is very innovative. They have given us endless amounts of tools to incorporate into our classrooms. It is now up to us to create a pedagogy that blends these learning devices with the students’ passions. Using technology for the sake of having it is merely not enough.

Ask yourself, “Am I using technology to replace or am I using it to enhance?” The answer must be to enhance. For example, earlier this year my class used Skype and Twitter to talk with people around the globe about what Christmas means where they are. We talked directly with people in Ghana, Australia, Holland, Finland and Ethiopia.  We then created a Twitter hashtag, #Christmaswhereweare to create short videos showing Christmas traditions. Students were so engaged learning about Christmas around the globe. Worksheets and books cannot replace the benefits of having discussions with actual people. Another example of enhancement is the coding and creation of videogames, which again textbooks don’t teach. Whether it is Genius Hour, Global Read Aloud, chatting with authors, project-based learning etc. kids in my class are constantly having opportunities to take their learning to places not imagined within the traditional classroom boundaries.  

Be a superhero

 Building lifelong learners needs to start from within. So my classroom is full of opportunities that allow curiosity to flourish. It includes choice and creativity and is led fully by passion. It is global and it uses technology not to replace but rather enhance. It is safe and encourages people to “fall flat on your face” because it means you tried. In my opinion this is the only way. I believe a change is needed to adopt a new framework where reaching the student’s heart and building off of their strengths and passions needs to precede academic objectives. Lastly, stagnation and the learning process cannot coexist, so as a teacher move away from your comfort zone, be vulnerable, and focus on engaging the child. You do this and you will be a superhero teacher!

If you want to watch my ignite click here. (starts at the 32 minute mark)
Click here to view my Ignite PowerPoint presentation.

Why do we teach? Why do we invest ourselves so deeply into bettering kids, who after the year concludes, you may never see again? Why do the everyday happenings in our classroom stick with us when we go home?

The simple answer is WE CARE!

I have a secret. I don’t know if I’m a rare breed, I hope not, who doesn’t get super excited when looking at the curriculum. Creating tests, worksheets etc… does not wake me up in the morning with a smile on my face. Creating unit plans, day plans and amazing, passionate lessons, which I enjoy, do not drive my bus. Technology, which I use to enhance, is most satisfying, but again this is not why I teach. For me, I teach because of the 20+ kids who I give high fives to every morning.

I do not judge a child by their academic standing. I do not look at a child, who seemingly is smarter than myself, and think you have a better chance of success than the child quietly struggling to read a sentence. I do not go home and only brag all the time about a well-behaved and organized student. Conversely, I do not go home in frustration, talking about one child who bounces off all walls. 

So what gets me out of bed every morning excited to go to work? Easy, it is that chronic poop disturber, the straight A student, the act one way to your face and another way behind your back kid, the “I can do that for you Mr. D” student, the shaving eraser under the desk kid, the can I stay in at recess for extra help kid, the can I stay in at recess because I don’t have friends on the playground student, the I can shove everything in my desk kid, the have every excuse in the world kid, the always late student, the sit quietly always trying his/her best kid, the kid who has his/her hand up and the kid who does everything for the school. These kids, and every other child type I missed, are why I get up with a smile.

I know, especially as a grade 7 teacher, that after June 30th (or thereabouts) I may never see my amazing kids again. So, I need to make sure that the time we do spend together is memorable. I need to make sure all kids take huge strides in all aspects of their growth. These kids become like my own kids, and I treat them that way. I make sure they are learning to their full ability. I make sure they are enjoying the process of being life-long learners. I ensure they are getting enough physical exercise. I teach them how to persevere. I teach them how to be critical thinkers, and to examine everything by taking different perspectives. I teach them to focus on the strengths they possess and to build off of them. I ask them to enjoy the process of the journey rather than the shame if they don’t succeed. Most importantly, I model and ask them to follow suit, how to be a caring, and respectful citizens that better all lives around them.

I know that when each and every child leaves my room at the end of the year they will spread our values like wildfires. I also know that next September, I get a whole new bunch of children to add to my family! That is the beauty of this wonderful “job”.