But What if It Works?

There are a lot of misconceptions about personalized learning, like that this means we need to make a plan for each student each day. In reality, personalized learning can often be accomplished when we find ways to give students voice and choice. 

But this is easier said than done.

As the district moves ahead with blended learning and student-centered instruction, we have heard many teachers express very real concerns about using models of instruction that call for more student agency and choice regarding the pace, topics, and methods of learning. 

• What if students don't do the work? 
• What if we have a technical glitch?
• What if they can't finish in time? 
• What if they lost their Chromebook charger?
• What if I don't get the time I spent making instructional videos back with less time reteaching in the classroom?

But also, what if it works?

In a recent Podcast (which you can access with the accompanying blog post at this link), John Spencer shares:

Whether it’s a Calculus teacher in Australia or a first grade teacher in Hong Kong, we all have a certain level of fear of letting go of control. I’ve written before about the fears I had in empowering students with voice and choice and I thought I would share these fears here again. What about the noise level? What about classroom management? What will the principal think? Will we actually cover all the standards? How will I assess the learning?
But, honestly, each of these fears was a subset of a larger question. What if it fails?
As a new teacher, I was so consumed by the question, “What if it fails?” that I never even asked, “What if it works?”

What does this mean for my classroom?

Whether you are trying a hands-on, inquiry/project-based approach to a topic or you are thinking about how to change up your classroom structure, keep in mind that there is power in TRYING. While every minute with our students is precious and we want class to be perfect, we can give ourselves grace as we grow.

Positive risks are necessary for personalization.

There are so many reasons to take positive risks and use "versioning" in our classrooms: 

• We model for our students that it is not only okay, but normal to try new things and accept some level of failing as part of the learning process. 
• We grow through the process, and we find better ways of "doing" the work of teaching that sustain teachers and meet the need of students.
• Great, unforeseen opportunities often arise from risk-taking.

So start with one project. See how things go. Share with students if you perceive things aren't going well, and have them help brainstorm solutions for version 2.0 of the assignment. For as Robyn Shulman shares in "10 Ways Educators Can Make Classrooms More Innovative":

By giving students real-world problems to tackle, fail and try again, we are telling students that their voices matter.