Teacher is primarily a "facilitator" versus a "teacher"
LKSD Best Practice #9
Focus Friday: September 29, 2023
When the teacher is a facilitator of learning, they guide and assist students as they learn for themselves. This includes the careful analysis of ideas, deciding their own thoughts and opinions, and owning their exploration of the learning process.
Teachers as facilitators do NOT tell students what or how to think. Rather, the most powerful form of learning occurs when students learn how to think about ideas for themselves.
Teacher as Facilitator
Credit: Naomi Tinker, Akula, 2022
In this video we see a teacher engaged with her students in the learning process, but she lets them take control of their learning within the activity.
To support an environment that is student centered, it's good practice to clarify the collective vision. In other words, does your classroom have a set goal for this year? This month?
Perhaps most importantly, do your students understand why these goals are important and how they, as key stakeholders, are an integral component in helping this goal to become reality?
When teachers act as facilitators, they:
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provide resources
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monitor progress
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encourage students to problem solve
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prioritize experiences and then connect those experiences to theories and content area concepts
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moderate discussions
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ask open-ended questions
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engage students in learning activities
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DON’T give students the answers
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DON'T sit and do nothing
As part of the LKSD Best Practices protocol, we expect to see teachers create an environment that encourages students to take charge of their learning.
This can be done via the following:
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establish a set of common goals
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set structures that promote positive interdependence, i.e. maintaining clearly defined roles for students
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provide consistent and constructive feedback
The PTCT levels of support outline the steps students should take when seeking to problem solve beyond independent work.
Notice the final level of support is the teacher; this is designed with intention so that students will be encouraged to utilize the resources readily available around them.