My name is Stephanie, and I am a teacher.
It’s kind of always been that way, though teaching wasn’t the profession I initially set my sights on. My very first job was assisting my dance instructor with the younger classes. Then I worked for a summer recreation camp. In university I worked as a personal trainer and aerobics instructor. So, when I graduated with a B.A in English Literature, my dad suggested teaching. But, of course, I wasn’t planning to be a third-generation teacher so I did what anyone would do- I wrote the LSAT.
So how did I get here? I can’t really say for sure. It was just supposed to be something I tried. While teaching may not have been on my bingo card, learning design always has been.
I remember planning my first dance class. Picking the music, planning the right choreography to work with 5-year-olds- it was all very exciting. Even then, I understood that there had to be a method to teaching. My general thinking around learning design is: where are we going, how will we get there, how will we know when we’ve arrived?
Where are we going? What’s the objective of the learning? I do standard-based teaching and assessing so we’re always talking about the curricular competencies and content that we are currently working on. I do believe that as teachers we should try to get through the curriculum of the courses we teach, but that’s not always the reality we find ourselves in. You need to meet the student where they’re at and sometimes that’s not grade level. But having an understanding of what you’re trying to achieve before you start, is just good planning in my opinion.
How are we getting there? This is the fun part of learning design. How do you take abstract ideas and make them into something that students will understand? What experiences do you provide them with to promote learning? What activities can they try and immerse themselves in? I believe in making sure important outcomes are broken down into manageable chunks. I also find this makes it easier to tell when a student is missing something. Then I build on previous success.
How will we know when we’ve arrived? This is where assessment kicks in. If you’ve read my previous posts, you’ll remember that I believe curriculum, instruction, and assessment are all connected. Do the students know what they’re being assessed on? Do they know what proficiency will look like and how to get there? These are things I think about when I’m planning my learning design.
I am a planner. I like being able to see the big picture. But when that’s all done? Have fun, be bold, and go big or go home. Not all learning is fun or exciting but every once in a while, I encourage teachers to take a big leap of faith and try something exciting. Have your kiddos build boats out of cardboard and then test them in person. Open a restaurant on top field. Have them run workshops for the school on STEM activities. These cross-curricular projects are exciting and engaging and not for the faint of heart. But they’re also magical (after the fact- in the moment they are messy and kind of stressful).
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