The Shift from Engaging Students to Empowering Learners

We often talk about what it means to move from compliance to engagement.

It’s the idea of creating an environment where students want to learn rather than have to learn. 

But if we want students to be creative, self-directed learners we need to go beyond student engagement and into empowerment. 

But this requires some paradigm shifts. 

That’s right. We’re going to be talking shift. 

Here’s what I mean:

The empowered classroom is a shift from giving choices to inspiring possibilities

It’s what happens when you move from making the subject interesting to tapping into student interests; when you go from saying “you must learn this” to asking “what do you want to learn?”  

It’s a shift from taking assessments to assessing your own learning, it’s an iterative process full of mistakes that ultimately lead to success.
 
It’s a shift from the teacher asking all the questions to the students asking their own questions, where they chase the inquiry process and take learning off-road.

It’s a shift from uncritical consuming to critical consuming and creating. Here students move from critical consuming to inspiration to creativity, where they use the design process to launch their work to the world.

It’s a shift from differentiating instruction to personalizing learning 

And it’s a shift from rigid to adjustable systems so that students own the process. They can set their own pace, choose their own formats, and decide what resources they want to use to accomplish their goals. 

It’s a shift in mindset from compliance to self-direction. 

In other words, it’s a shift toward student ownership.

When that happens, our students become the creative, critical thinkers who change the world.

[slickflickcoolie]

I have a interview as a progress coach and I have to do a presentation this was amazing I hope mine can look half as good as this one . The graphics and writing were amazing and exactly how i wish to help my fellow students to motivate the ones that struggle to engage . Thank you for this great content I am inspired

[thorstenspeil]

I really liked your contrasts and alternatives. Thank you for this video, John! Best regards, Thorsten

[ClementineEcho]

How do we give students ownership over the classroom when even the teacher doesn't have ownership over it? They are expected to stick to the given standards and curriculum.

[hamidsollo]

Highly appreciated. .as a teacher of English I alway ask what's wrong with the way we teach..the answer I get I that we teach students in a way they do not like..so it's hight we made the shift...thanks for sharing

[laurenlee]

Lovely in theory, but all of us are interested in practical applications. HOW can we do WHAT you ask?

[englishmultiplechois]

Another perfect perspective to ponder on! thanks nonstop

[margievance]

I loved it! This is exactly what I am pursuing to do in my own classroom. Thankyou

[hackyourmotivation]

We know the problem, what is the solution? How do you get to empowerment?

[amybell]

Love love love! This is exactly what we are doing at the EAST Initiative!

[josephclark]

I'm all ears in how to can adapt this shift for classes like College Algebra (class students don't want to take but have to because its part of their degree plan). Or is the point that it should be removed from all degree plans unless you're a math major?

[agietha]

this is the answer and help that i need ty

[lorainekang]

Very inspiring video! Short and nice explanation! Great job!

[conniemelodia]

I absolutely agree! Well said and designed. Thank you. :-)

[patmulroy]

Nicely done. I like the way you gently coax this topic!

[mrs.blibrary]

Would love to use this in a PD for Librarians on our State Ed Tech Standards. Please let us know if you give permission.
Thanks.

[deepika]

Perfect... Even we at THINKYOUNG conduct similar kind of training programmes for schools.

[michaelyansak]

Quite motivational, but with so little substance. Examples, suggestions, solutions....? Utopia's cannot exist on thought alone. Unless only in the ether.