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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

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.

Credit: Naomi Tinker, Akula, 2022

When teachers act as facilitators, they:

  • provide resources

  • monitor progress

  • encourage students to problem solve

  • prioritize experiences and then connect those experiences to theories and content area concepts

  • moderate discussions

  • ask open-ended questions

  • engage students in learning activities

  • DON’T give students the answers 

  • DON'T sit and do nothing 

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