Schools That Learn

Schools that Learn by Peter Sange, offers some great advice to educators about how to strengthen schools. For me the most powerful advice lies in the “Classroom” discussion of this book. Here I found some great stories, research, and tips on how create an effective classroom environment.

Something I try to accomplish every year is to create a classroom where students are comfortable interacting academically with me and each other. I want students to work together, pose questions, and feel comfortable and confident to participate. I would like students to walk into my room and become totally engrossed in whatever topics are being studied. In a perfect classroom all of students would be free of insecurities about themselves, home life, social life, etc. I would like students to work together to discover mathematics and learn from myself and each other. I would like them to understand and appreciate mathematics on a higher level and make connections, rather then just memorizing formulas and theorems with little meaning.

Schools that Learn addresses these ideas in “Opening the classroom door” and “seeing the learner”. Getting to know your students, treating and teaching with dignity, are ways to engage students and create an atmosphere conducive to learning. These ideas seem obvious, but with tight curriculums and lots of stress associated with teaching, it is easy for us to forget what is truly important. Senge offers ideas urging educators to take the time to learn about new research on types of learners and promote diverse ways of thinking and interacting in the classroom. Although, this is easier said then done at times, I definitely agree that this type of teaching environment leaves students with a positive and memorable educational experience.

I appreciate that Senge acknowledges the difficulties that exist in having an interacting classroom. It is something that needs to constantly be evaluated and researched in order to be successful. A great deal of reflection needs to occur in teaching to make sure you are reaching all students effectively. We need to be flexible as educators to accommodate the needs that arise. This is not always easy and it is often time consuming. Senge offers us to think of it as a way of being as oppose to an additional requirement to fit into our schedules, so that it becomes a natural part of us.

Finally, I agree with the need to be a life-long learner in order to be successful in your subject and to your students. Students feed off of our energy, and to be passionate about your subject sets the tone for your classroom. Technology and research is always changing and we need to keep up with the latest trends as much as we can and bring this to our teaching. If we are practice this idea of learning and researching, we are serving as role models for our students.