Giveaway: Mark Barnes’ Guide to Creating a Results Only Learning Environment

It's not only realistic, it's critical for true educational improvement. We don't embrace the move toward the circular model because we see education as a linear journey with definite starting and ending points with check in stations along the way, which, incidentally you only travel once. This view is fostered by our very jargon: business models, objectives, gains, gaps, etc. The truth is that education isn't linear, it's spiraling. We learn not the twelve years we are in formal school, but from the moment of birth until death takes us. We revisit things we learn as we progress through increasing complexity as we strengthen both our knowledge and the ability to assimilate that knowledge. It doesn't lend itself easily (or accurately) to metrics and those who demand metrics as the evidence of success. In short, education is like humans: hopelessly and wonderfully complex and exciting.

Love this circle approach! I teach Advanced Mathematics students who naturally create their own circular learning with their spontaneous questions and creative ideas, often leading my curriculum in directions I wasn't aware I could take it! I find that my biggest challenge is striving to adequately teach and motivate these 21st century learners with my 'old fashioned' techniques. Learning from my students is a part of my own lifelong learning. It's hard to keep up with (or create on my own) strategies and techniques for teaching my unique students in the best way for them. Your ideas are encouraging because they are open-ended and that is okay! I also believe a cyclical/circular learning approach can help with better retention. Thank you!! -kmullins

Results! I am very interested in this circle approach to learning and believe it can be very influential to the population of students I teach: racially segregated, socially isolated, and economically disfranchised. The misinformed school leader makes decisions based on data, not on learning. Schools, like society do not examine the life of the individual, they adhere to the masses and the data that shows, or does not show "performance." Thus our students follow this same idea and follow the same linear path: they get good grades, to pass the class, to graduate, to get into college, to get a good job. Life is a circle, and so is education, and we must teach it so.

Education today seems to be more about testing and grades than on actual learning. In a way, I feel the public education system has made a lot of students lazy. Classrooms are too teacher-centered. Students expect the teachers to tell them what to do, how to do it, and when to do it. In my own experience, trying to get students to take control of their own learning and figure things out for themselves is like pulling teeth. They just want you to give them the answers and then leave them alone. I know that’s not true for all students, but it is for a lot of them. Students need to be in control of their own learning, because it is their learning. Even though it might be difficult to implement at first, I think the circle of learning is realistic for today’s classroom. We need to stop focusing on grades and tests, and let students learn. I think the circle of learning will lead to more independent, driven, and intelligent students. The circle of learning produces students who are critical thinkers rather than information reiterators. So why aren't teachers using the circle of learning, and instead pushing students toward an educational cliff? Well, the first reason is simple: they just have never heard about the circle of learning before. I just recently learned about it myself through a newsletter email I received. Another reason teachers aren't using it, though, is because it places a lot of responsibility in the hands of the students. For teachers, teaching is their job; it’s their livelihood. If they get fired, they don’t eat. So, I can understand why they are a little hesitant to use it. They want to have all the responsibility in their hands because it makes them feel safer. However, if they gave the circle of learning a good chance in their classroom, I think they would see it work and would be more willing to use it.

As a world languages instructor,I love circular learning! Group work and collaboration present opportunities for demonstrating real learning and language acquisition. It puts me into the role of facilitator, rather than lecturer. Students are free to explore ideas and ask questions in an environment that is less performance-oriented. The panic and discouragement that happen so regularly during exams and tests diminishes greatly. The caution of group work is to select groups that work well with each other. A group where the majority of students are willing to allow one student to lead, and dictate becomes a breeding ground for frustration, resentment and discontent. I like the use of narrative feedback, an area of weakness in my own classes. It puts mastery back in the learner's court, and also allows for the repetition which is so critical for mastery of ideas. K. Runyan

I think that many teachers are hesitant to change what they think works, not realizing that their results could be even better. As teachers we need to adopt the philosophy that we are always learning as well and open our rooms and minds to others. A change in the way we teach can be scary, time consuming and will require support. Our current school structures do not allow for the time to collaborate and support each other. It's very hard to implement change when you are alone on your island and it takes courage and dedication to do so. With that being said, we not only need to educate the students in ROLE, but the community as well. Community members are comfortable with what they know, how they were taught, and can be wary of change. Any major shift in instruction will require educating the parents and community as well. I have had some interesting results with my own fifth grade students recently by showing them the objectives and discussing and brainstorming together how they can best learn and show understanding of those concepts. Once they get started, it's hard to get them out the door at the end of class.

“Giveaway: Mark Barnes' Guide to Creating a Results Only Learning Environment | ASCD Inservice” truly enables myself imagine a small bit extra. I adored each and every particular element of it. Thanks -Reuben

I think the ROLE model is compatiable with using standards and high-stakes testing. First, with respect to standards those are what students are aiming for and the narrative feedback is related to helping students know and be able to do the things included in the standards. The students are thus foucsed on learning and not on grades and worksheets. When they are really learning, then they will do well on the high-stakes tests. I think teachers are hestiant to try this model because they see it as giving up control of the classroom. It is also not how they are trained to teach in teacher education programs. Teachers need to know and learn about the ROLE model and to see that style of teaching and learning modeled. What grade level does/did Barnes teach?

As teachers, we want our students to succeed! We do not want students to fall into an abyss. Unfortunately, schools and teachers have become rated based on a standardized tests that are written with multiple choice type questions, covering distinct skills, asking students to regurgitate information. Students have been asked questions on these tests that cover so many concepts that as teachers, we have taken this linear pathway towards teaching. Teachers have felt the need to teach mathematics as a way to get the answer correct on a particular question. With the changes made in the Common Core and in standardized testing, I believe that teachers are beginning to realize that we are being given the freedom to focus on the concepts of mathematics so students can solve all types of problems. Concepts in mathematics are linked together and within other subject areas, so it is imperative that students are taught in this circle of learning. In getting students to delve deeper into the content, to explain, justify, and critique their work, and to complete performance tasks, students will be learning in this way. It will take professional development and a willingness to venture into a new style of teaching, but as educators we are eager to do this. Yes, I believe it is possible that ALL students are included into this circle.

The linear approach to teaching has been in place for so long- it is what people know and what feels comfortable. Many teachers are trapped in a situation where they are pressured by parents and administrations to meet guidelines and standards that force them to teach in a way that goes against their professional judgment. Many are not allowed to use professional judgement, and are even punished for doing what they know is right for their students. There are others who are afraid to try anything different. The circle of learning is true to real-life learning and students who are in this environment develop a love for learning for the sake of learning and become life-long learners. We are doing our students a disservice by keeping them in a traditional, linear environment.

Creating such ROLE circles takes time and trust. I truly believe that is what students and teachers crave. The question of how much time and how to approach this cultural shift in the classroom looms on because of the constant pressure of high stakes tests. Partaking in the unknown might get worse results than staying the course. There is no time to waste so we'll get right to work with what we know. Sad, but true...

ROLE sounds like standards-based grading with narrative feedback within a curriculum that achieves true "spiraling" in learning. It takes a great deal of time and forethought to really create curricula that can do this well. Districts and school leaders must not only sanction such practices, they must be a part of initiating and planning them. I believe most teachers do not choose ROLE and similar practices because the structures within which they operate are not conducive to them. ROLE will be most effective if initiated by Professional Learning Communities and not simply the isolated teacher who has decided to go rogue and do his or her own thing.

I have observed that teachers themselves often feel safer teaching the way they have always taught. The mindset they have is ingrained in them after years of teaching. I know of one teacher who makes copies of the entire year's handouts and worksheets (the same one's he has used year after year) the first day of school. Giving multiple choice tests is easier for the teacher. They take no time to grade, especially if the school has a scantron machine. They are also easier for the student: "Just tell me what's on the test so I can get my A." But...the students become bored with school and don't really learn anything. The teachers become bored with school and complain that students don't seem to care. We teachers need to change our mindsets. We need to establish a culture of learning. I like your terminology of "circle of learning." Learning never stops and if a student does not master something the first time, who is to say that the teacher cannot provide other learning opportunities. I myself let students rewrite their essays as many times as they want until they are satisfied with their end product. Is this more work for me? Sure. But I get some great stuff from my students, and they don't agonize over grades. I have abolished multiple choice tests in my classes. Instead, the students have a "product" to demonstrate their mastery of a unit. I conference with them about my comments and provide that needed feedback to make their "product" better. I feel that we teachers need to instill the love of learning in our students. I observed that in the primary grades students loved school and learning. By the time they got to me in high school that love of school and learning had disappeared. Was is it the force feeding of standardized test after standardized test? I believe that certainly contributed to this new attitude. Can we put our students back into the circle? Most definitely yes. I myself spend a good week establishing the culture of learning in my classes. I also have students perform exercises to get them to overcome their fear of failure. My motto is "We fail forward to success." Once students feel comfortable with this new mindset, we can begin the process of learning through exploring, noticing, wondering, and working together as learners, myself included.

what a breath of fresh air!! i needed to be reinspired as to why i have chosen this profession, i am bursting with all these innovative ideas that i would love to implement but feel prevented on every level. thanks for reminding me of the possibilities and that students are at the forefront of what we do.

The thing that jumps out at me about the ROLE process is the fact that students "take pride in learning for learning's sake." This is the intrinsic motivation that we need to cultivate in students, for them to truly develop as global citizens who are ready to solve the complicated issues of our time.

It is a human need to be able to check things off a list as "done"; completed....whatever you want to call it. Teachers are human. We need to start our learning projects or units the first day of school, finish steps along the way, and close the entire project out on the last day of school, or unfortunately, the day the high stakes test is given. To place value in a never-ending circle of learning...to even inspire this in children..would go against the nature of each of us to get to a finishing point each May or June. Putting a child within this never-ending learning circle, opening questions of investigation that carry from one year to another simply requires a total shift in paradigm. Education and educators would have to throw away hundreds of years of tradition and security to truly embed itself in this open ended inquiry method of teaching. Differentiated instruction would take on new views do the prisms, teachers most certainly won't have all the answers and would have to work, learn, and grow with the students, ...... It would be amazing. One huge aspect that has to be overcome is the view that this method of instruction can't be used with all students.....we will have to become practitioners of least dangerous assumptions...get all material to all children to insure that all children have the opportunity to demonstrate results of their work, growth, understanding, and achievement. And ALL truly does mean ALL.

I read a tweet recently that stated something like "the learning ends when the work is graded." I have a student teacher now and am splitting her day with my teaching partner, with whom I share everything. I spent Friday after school explaining to my student teacher why the journals the students emailed her that afternoon should not be graded, especially not with a rigid rubric, which forces teachers to grade for following directions rather than for content - or for breaking rules, which often leads to better writing. She had many questions: What will motivate students to write if they aren't being graded? Answer: The students just do; this isn't a battleground. What if they ask, "will I get a grade for this?" Answer: They don't ask if you give them feedback. Students crave and love feedback. But changing minds is hard - the idea that if you don't give a grade, students don't do their best work remains as a barrier to change. Feedback takes a lot of time; rubrics make grading faster (Oh! And they're best practices and all the experts love them so they must be great!). But that's all I know. I'm thinking this book will offer insight into how to create a classroom culture in which learning evolves and continues and few worksheets are given out and students spend a lot of time practicing and they interact with their feedback (and even give the teacher feedback) and that's the stuff I want to learn.

It’s a perpetual condition. Teacher candidates, selected largely upon their own success as students, learn to teach in a very limited, safe environment. They take their newly developed and raw skills into a classroom where they are conditioned to believe that student performance based on artificial and over-prescribed standards is the single most important variable in student assessment. They learn to teach to that set of standards. Teaching becomes nothing more than a means to an end, and learning is limited to methods to attain those means. Creativity is discouraged, and teachers become an interactive machine working to move students along a continuum, or as you stated, over a cliff. Learning becomes the bi-product rather than the goal. We are conditioned to teach based on fear of student performance rather than the love of learning. Your circle of learning, and other reflective methods go a long way toward reminding students, and teachers alike, that learning is a cycle, not a dead end, and it’s okay to actually teach something for the love of learning as opposed to a means to achieving a successful assessment score. Students who become effective learners will achieve. Students conditioned to achieve may never become effective learners.

Why do teachers continue to push students toward an educational cliff, where learning falls into an abyss? Because this approach is highly incentivized by the drill and kill, high stakes testing culture of modern public education. Teachers feel stuck and need guidance on how to break out of this cycle. Sounds like your book offers at least the start of a solution to that dilemma. Standards can be a very good thing, but they have to be the RIGHT standards. Things like ability to apply thinking, ability to synthesize...not "can list all the organelles in a cell" etc...which is what is incentivized on the tests. Is the aforementioned circle of learning realistic for today’s classroom, which is often driven by standards and high-stakes testing? Yes, it is realistic, but requires out-of-the-box thinking and creative solutions to some of the problems we teachers battle on a daily basis- the time we need, overloaded curricula that emphasize breadth of content over depth of thinking and application, and, again, the incentive system that revolves around high stakes tests. This is going to have to be a teacher-driven shift pedagogy. By prioritizing the values embedded in your ROLE model and trusting in it, we can drive the change that is needed. However, it is crucial to have administrative support. Some truly revolutionary schools have broken the mold and moved in the direction you speak about, and have done so successfully, because they had full, broad, admin support- everything form PD, to a "release" from the fear of testing. If it is, why aren’t more teachers putting their students inside the circle? See above. Some of us a trying! Baby steps- a little each week, each day...even a full unit. " No matter how far you have gone down the wrong road, turn back"

I believe teachers continue to push students toward an educational cliff, where learning falls into an abyss because it is the norm. Teachers follow the pattern taught to them. Teachers see the curriculum and understand that they have so many units to cover in the school year. Teachers are afraid of taking the time to go back and address the learning results after the assessment. Teachers are unsure how to help students correct the errors and fill the holes without getting too far behind. Yes, without a willingness to return to what was not understood or learned, it will simply be missed until another teacher at another time readdresses the topic. One idea I do not want to encourage is the spiral teaching structure of some curriculum. A topic is lightly taught, left, expanded upon briefly, tested, left, expanded on further, moved on, etc. In this model the subject is never held long enough for students to feel comfortable and confident on the topic, they only walk along the cliff.

“Giveaway: Mark Barnes' Guide to Creating a Results Only Learning Environment | ASCD Inservice” was a splendid post, cannot help but wait to read more of your blog posts. Time to spend a bit of time on-line hehe. Many thanks ,Meridith