Outcomes and findings
Student comment on the lack of productivity of the class. The remarks communicate the student's ability to express his ideas clearly and with support, as well as identify some of the key pedagogical approaches. While the student claims that there was "little gain," the improved critical thinking and clarity evident in this student's writing belie that assertion.
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Did it work?
The evaluable elements of effectiveness indicate sustained engagement, autonomy, and growth in the student group. Even reluctant readers acknowledge participation and increased interest. Formative assessments of reading highlight literary immersion, the kind authentic reading that supports language development, vocabulary acquisition, critical thinking, and the development of empathy (Pruzinsky, 2014; "To Read or Not To Read: A question of national importance," 2007). Student products showcase new fluency with digital literacies and multimodal composition: see sample collected works at #favoritepoem project and English II Multi-genre Projects. My goal, to foster engaged, independent, 21st-century learners, pointed towards increasing student choice and responsibility for learning. For most, the opportunities for personal choice inspired reflection and curiosity. For many, the need to self-structure posed a significant challenge. A process-oriented approach to defining the parameters of inquiry supported students as they sought to identify their own questions, skills, and understandings. Varied collaborative structures facilitated new avenues for discourse and encouraged mutual tolerance and cooperation. Students communicated and negotiated with peers, shared their strengths, and worked in community towards shared goals. Sometimes students had to stretch--to operate beyond their comfort zones--and found reward in new friends, new confidence, new perspectives. On the verge of the adult world, these English II students sense the great scale of the unknown. They begin to venture out, to see what the world holds. While reading affords only virtual travels, student readers find that it also opens windows into the lives of others and reveals the myriad experiences of humanity. Exploring unfamiliar contexts and vantage points awakens a compassionate awareness of the diversity of our world, and helps students develop a sense of their own value, position, and privilege in the global community. The Compelling Question: How can I foster engaged, independent, 21st-century learners in the English classroom? The Compelling Answer: Relevant, interesting ideas and processes engage learners. Students, capable and curious, can generate questions and design projects that speak to their interests. Constructing the curriculum to facilitate independence enhanced engagement overall. Integrating digital literacies, allowing intellectual freedoms, and supporting project-based learning activities that activated real-world skills and understandings enabled my students to craft uniquely thoughtful responses to literature, their lives, and the world around them. Targeting content (reading and digital literacy) and skills (independence, collaboration, and global awareness) allowed us, teacher and students, to co-create a course of study that remained focused on key goals and tailored the material for individual learners. Anchored by Common Core and Essential Standards for English Language Arts, all students engaged in independent thought, in group discourse, and in "21st-century" skills, and along the way developed self-efficacy, self-awareness, and self-empowerment. Did it work? Yes, it worked. Is that all? The process will begin again with a new cadre of students, adapting and adjusting to fit, seeking the ideal balance of ingredients and conditions to foster engaged, independent, 21st-century learners. |