Practical Access Podcast

S4 E8: Student Centered Learning

• Season 4 • Episode 8

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  • Teach students how to make a mini-lesson plan
  • Create an environment where students have input and feel valued
  • Boost your students' self-esteem

Above are a few tips on how to create a Student-Centered Classroom. Listen in to today's episode by Drs. Rebecca Hines and Lisa Dieker for more amazing tips!

Have a question that you would like answered as well?  Call and leave us a question on our Google Phone (407) 900- 9305 or via social media on Facebook (Practical Access), Twitter (@AccessPractical), or Instagram (@Practical_Access)


Lisa Dieker:

Welcome to practical access. I'm Lisa Dieker.

Rebecca Hines:

And I'm Rebecca Hines. And Lisa, I think you have today's question up and ready. I can't wait to hear it. Yeah. So

Lisa Dieker:

it's one that I've already listened to you, I'm gonna let you lead on it because I need a little interpretation on your side of exactly what this amazing listeners asking, and thanks for being a great seventh grade language arts teacher, because I know that's your background. And we know those seventh graders are unique will be the word I'll use. So this is from Katie.

Unknown:

Hi, my name is Katie. I'm a seventh grade language arts teacher. I recently heard the idea of students that are teaching. So I wanted to know if you have some tips on how to incorporate this with medical school students. Thank you.

Rebecca Hines:

Hmm, well, I can see why you need my interpretation. There's a couple of things there to unpack. What I think I heard was, this is seventh grade teacher looking for some student centered teaching ideas. The tricky thing is is like in middle medical school, but I'm going to interpret that as Middle School.

Lisa Dieker:

So let's go voice translated it. So we'll assume that was

Rebecca Hines:

Google, not reliable. So I am sure this is a middle school issue. And you're right, that is my background. And honestly, it was my passion as a teacher. So student centered teaching. I'm going to I'm going to give kind of two different types of responses to this, I will tell you that I'm not I'm not looking at at some formal description of that. In general, my approach to students thinking about a classroom where students have more input and feel valued, but also trust that I'm not going to humiliate them, and make them do something that makes them feel stupid, because that's, that was so evident in many, many kids in middle school.

Lisa Dieker:

Yeah, it's funny. Well, I think I'm gonna step back and just let my students do things, and I'm gonna eat chips and dip. No, I'm just kidding. So. But I do agree that I think sometimes we will think, you know, oh, I'll just turn the learning over the kids. And it'll be easy, actually, it's the opposite. And I really respect Katie's question to think that through in advance, and, you that's, that's one advice. So other thoughts from you?

Rebecca Hines:

Sure. I actually, I agree wholeheartedly structure really matters, I think that we jump into things so often without having a plan, and a structure. And anyone who knows me knows that I am, on on surface, a very abstract person, and I and I am however, I understand patterns. And I understand reducing the mental load for an audience. And that's what I always strive to do with my of class, so I can walk by every student and connect for a second. To put them at the forefront of my attention for the day. I think, Middle School in particular, we start going from elementary, where teachers at sometimes, you know, are more accustomed to having those kind of little side conferences and talking to kids personally, in middle school kids don't want to talk to you. So it's tricky,

Lisa Dieker:

So I Becky and when I heard this question, I just have to tell you a personal really quick, funny story. I immediately thought of coffee cans, and I know you're like what, but I still remember in middle school. Funny quick story about me is, I am definitely not an artist at all. Like, like stick people are questionable for me, I get most of the body parts, but not all of them. And showing me what you're going to do. You're going to perform for your class, think about it as a performance. And I think when students start performing in a gentle way and teach kindness, teach students how to be good audience members and to say nice things, you know, and if you're going to give feedback, then it should come from the adult, but it should be private, not public. And I think

Rebecca Hines:

Then you mentioned Lisa, you mentioned PBL. checklist, actually website also has a lot on how you can score in grade, etc. and use rubrics to grade project based learning, which makes it a lot easier for the audience to give feedback. And I will just reiterate, you mentioned Socratic circles. If you're looking for resource at secondary level, Socratic seminar if you Google that I

Lisa Dieker:

Well, thank you for joining us. Thanks for the question, Katie. Again, please don't be shy and sending us messages on our Facebook, on our Twitter and you can find the phone number there at access practical