I am sure most us remember hearing stories from our grandparents or great-grandparents about the one-room school house, where students sat in wooden desks, the teacher was almost always female, and a shiny red apple stayed on the teacher’s desk. Students of varying ages sat and watched as the teacher reviewed how to write cursive letters, or they worked on perfecting their penmanship skills. Students usually were taught to be respectful and quiet, and to mind their manners. I certainly did not grow up in this era, but I do remember getting in trouble if I asked my neighbor to help me solve a problem because that was considered cheating, at least in my experience. Gone are the days of reading, writing and arithmetic. You may ask yourself, “What?! Students aren’t learning the most fundamental subjects needed to be a functioning citizen?” Well, that is not quite the case.
We have come a long way since those days. With a vast educational reform movement underway, we are no longer expecting the typical bell-shaped curve, where the average student will rank at the top of the curve, with lower-performing students on the left-hand side (indicating possible learning disabilities) and higher-performing students on the right-hand side (indicating possible high potential). There are three big concepts behind this: rigor, relevance, and relationships.
We expect all students to finish high school ready for college. In essence, public education is looking to increase rigor throughout the nation. As a Research Associate here, I have conducted thousands of classroom observations and have seen some of the ways schools are trying to increase rigor. For example, Washington State has a College Bound Scholarship program available to all students who qualify. Advancement Via Individual Determination (AVID) courses prepare students for college who may not necessarily have thought they would attend. With the reform movement pushing for college-ready students, rigor is a huge focus. Students must be prepared for the expectations of college.
The second change is relevancy in education. Studies show that the more relevant a lesson is to a student, the more likely they will retain the information and develop a motivation for learning. Do you ever remember saying to your teacher, “Why do we have to learn this?” I certainly do. Let’s face it—when a topic has no relevancy to you or your life, it can be pretty boring. Teachers can make lessons relevant by having students write about their own experiences or solve problems based on real-life examples.
[Related: How to Include Students’ Cultures in Your Classroom]
Last, but certainly not least, is relationships. Research has found that students who feel supported by their teachers are more likely to be engaged in their education. This, in turn, leads to higher levels of student achievement. Did you ever experience a teacher who would make you feel embarrassed for a wrong answer and move onto someone who got it right, never giving you time to process the information? I remember it happening to me a few times, and it was never a good feeling. Nor did I learn anything from it. I just felt awkward for being incorrect. That is why it is important for teachers to develop a rapport with their students. Making mistakes is part of life, so students need to trust their teachers and peers in order to learn from these experiences. Additionally, if relationships are rigid and students are not able to collaborate with each other to help solve problems, they may lack the necessary skill of teamwork, which is critical in today’s workplace.
So as you think about the days of yore - reading, writing, and arithmetic – they are not gone, just presented in a new fashion that is better suited to learning.
The second change is relevancy in education. Studies show that the more relevant a lesson is to a student, the more likely they will retain the information and develop a motivation for learning. Do you ever remember saying to your teacher, “Why do we have to learn this?” I certainly do. Let’s face it—when a topic has no relevancy to you or your life, it can be pretty boring. Teachers can make lessons relevant by having students write about their own experiences or solve problems based on real-life examples.
[Related: How to Include Students’ Cultures in Your Classroom]
Last, but certainly not least, is relationships. Research has found that students who feel supported by their teachers are more likely to be engaged in their education. This, in turn, leads to higher levels of student achievement. Did you ever experience a teacher who would make you feel embarrassed for a wrong answer and move onto someone who got it right, never giving you time to process the information? I remember it happening to me a few times, and it was never a good feeling. Nor did I learn anything from it. I just felt awkward for being incorrect. That is why it is important for teachers to develop a rapport with their students. Making mistakes is part of life, so students need to trust their teachers and peers in order to learn from these experiences. Additionally, if relationships are rigid and students are not able to collaborate with each other to help solve problems, they may lack the necessary skill of teamwork, which is critical in today’s workplace.
So as you think about the days of yore - reading, writing, and arithmetic – they are not gone, just presented in a new fashion that is better suited to learning.
Find out how to increase rigor, relevancy, and relationships in your classroom.
Lauren Lefebure, M.A.Ed. Research Associate
Lauren Lefebure earned her Masters in Education from Western Carolina University. Her program was Two-Year College Instruction in Psychology. Prior to joining The BERC Group as a Research Assistant, she taught at Washington State Community College in Ohio, as well as Garrett College in Maryland. Specific courses she taught include Intro to Psychology, Educational Psychology, Abnormal Psychology, and Conflict Management and Resolution. She also worked as a Research Assistant for Western Carolina University in their psychology department. She is excited to be a part of The BERC Group and continue her career in education!
